You Don't Know The Half Of It
by NotYourBestFriend
Summary: Edward Cullen had it all. Fame, money, good looks. Until one day, a little girl shows up on his door step, claiming he's her father. ExB
1. Meeting Edward Cullen

Sometimes, karma can really come back and bite you in the ass.

But that's just every now and then. Most of the time, life was pretty perfect. At least for me it is. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Edward Cullen. Famous musician. I've been playing piano since I was four. As I grew older, my talents spanned out. I began to sing and play guitar. I began to be famous.

When I was seventeen, my career branched out. I was discovered by a producer, who felt my music was somethign that could really reach the younger generation. I signed a few contracts, and bada bing- I'm a rockstar. Things have always been pretty simple. My father is a surgeon. My mother is an interior decorater.

My father, Carlisle, graduated from Harvard Medical school, top of his class. He became a well known pediatrician at John Hopkins. As more and more people started requesting him, he was pushed to become a doctor of higher status. He is now capable of all kinds of medical miracles. He's famous. It runs in the family.

My mother, Esme, met my father when his sister needed someone to design her house. My father was there to offer his opinion here and there, but ended up falling in love. Madly in love. They were married five months later and had me. When I was two, they decided it best that I had some company. Nine months later my little sister, Alice, arrived.

Alice is a fashion designer. She dresses me for all my shows, public outings, parties. Pretty much everyday. Alice is engaged to my right hand man. Jasper Hale, guitar player extrordinar. I don't know where I'd be without him. Jasper has a twin sister, Rosalie. Rosalie is a model, she has done a lot of internatonal work. She's engaged to my other wing man. Emmett McCarty, drummer of the century. Never goes anywhere without his drumsticks.

I have a whole network of support. Some closer then others. My family and friends are top of the list. Then comes my agent, Tayna Denali. Who just happens to be my girlfriend. She's blonde, rich and beautiful. She models with Rosalie a little, but Rosalie absolutely dispises her. It was a girl thing, I chose to ignore their bickering.

I have fans everywhere. America, England, China, India, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Russia. Name any place in the world and I guarentee I have at least four hundred fans. Signing autographs is tedious and I have no patience for pictures. But girls still throw themselves at me left and right. Even a few men. Though the men are sometimes worse then the women.

I've been with many girls in my life. Besides Tanya, there has only been one that's ever meant anything to me at all. Her name was Bella Swan. Beautful, innocent, kind, sweet, funny. Everything and anything I could have wanted. We met in sixth period bioligy. She was new in town, along with her brother, Jack. I was assigned to be her lab partner, something I didn't look foward to at the time. Even before I was famous, women would go to the ends of the Earth for me. If only they would stay there.

Word had it that she wasn't bad to look at. This was a plus in the deal. I was a man after all. I did have needs. And girls were usually easily influenced. Peice of cake, right?

Wrong.

She walked in that classroom, wearing nothing but confidence. Well, she did have on clothes of course. Ripped light blue jeans, a Rolling Stones T- shirt, hair pulled back in a ponytail with little ringlets falling in her face. She wore no jewelry, no make up. She had on simple red flip flops and her hair had been pulled back with only an orange band. She wasn't smiling, in fact she was frowning. It pained me to see such a lovely face upset.

When she was settled, I introduced myself. I even pulled out that smile I knew made girls weak at the knees. She rolled her eyes when I told her she was quite possibly the most gorgeous thing to ever catch my eye. Her exact words were 'Could you be a bit more, oh, I don't know. Cheesy?' She was so critical. It made me love her even more.

Every time I tried to speak, she blatantly ignored me. Until finally I told her 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' was my favorite Rolling Stones song. That made her angry. She told me 'Paint It Black' kicked my songs ass. I disagreed and this started a beautiful friendship. Well....friends with benifits, some would say. Her brother wasn't happy about this at all.

You see, I had a reputation as a play boy. I liked the ladies, was there something wrong with that? I certainly didn't think so. Plus, I was a bit on the arrogant side. And selfish. And mean. And cinical. But other then that...I was perfect. It irked her to no end that I loved myself. That I had nothing but time and money. Bella never had time for anything fun, or money to do things that weren't necessary.

Her father walked out on her, her brother and her mom when she was ten. He left her mom to juggle three jobs to simply pay the bills and Jack to worry endlessly about their future. Jack is four years older then Bella, so he was fourteen when her father left. He worked at a gas station for four years until he got a full scholarship to college. While he was in college, their mom remarried to a man named Dino. Dino was a little...insane. He was an alchohalic, but he helped pay the bills. Barely.

But the truly unhappy thing about this marriage was the fact that Dino hit their mother, Renee. After a few months, he started to hit Bella too. Jack didn't know, he was busy with college. Otherwise, I'm quite sure he would've kicked Dino's ass all the way too Asia. Jack loved Bella more then anything, everyone in town knew that.

Bella was sixteen when her and I started going out. We were seniors and she was striving to get a full scholarship like Jack. She wanted to make her mother proud. I was working on my music career, but I was still planning on going to college. Bella was aiming for Yale, or Princeton. But that was a stretch, even for someone as driven as her. I wanted to go to Dartmouth, like my mother or Harvard like my father. Everyone was positive I was going to get in. But no one had any hope that Bella was going to get that scholarship.

Except me.

And Jack.

Bella was the smartest person I know. She had everything going for her. She was smart, beautful, lively, talented. Even if I was the musician, Bella still loved singing. She didn't flaunt it though. She was very low key about her abilities. She was the one who taught me to play the giutar, actually.

I loved her with all my heart. Well, the part of my heart that wasn't in love with myself.

So the night Bella got her acceptance letter to Yale, we slept together. We didn't mean for it to go that far, but we were so excited. She had gotten a full scholarship and was graduating valedictorian! I was so proud of her. Jack was too. He had actually called a few hours before our...celebration.

It scared Bella. She didn't want to beleive we had actually done what we did. We fought the next morning. Endlessly. Screaming, yelling...she even slapped me. Twice.

She left. Went off to Yale to fufill her dreams. I still loved her. But I was too angry to go after her. So, I turned all my attention to myself and my music. With all the effort I threw into my career, I soared. I was known all around America in six months. In a year, I was popular in Europe. Two years...I was international. Top of the charts at ninteen. And I still am.

At twenty three

I live in a loft in Los Angeles. Three bedrooms, four bathrooms. Penthouse suite, actually. I was living by myself, but with Tanya in a few ways. She stayed over almost everynight and stayed most of the day. I didn't love her. But I tolerated her. She was hot. She was rich. She was mine.

I have a dog too. I wasn't one for animals, but Esme thought I needed some company. He was a yellow lab, only a few months old. His name was Spike. Emmett named him, against my better judgment. But I still loved that dog. He was...a good friend, as odd as that may sound.

But all that I've told you is the past. Well, past/present. Let me give you a little taste of the true present. This is where the story starts.


	2. Hi, I'm The Possible End To Your Life

It was Monday. Some people hate Monday's, but I find them incredibly fun. Monday's were my day rehearsal days. It was the day of the week I got to immerse myself in what I did best. Sing.

Rehearsal was at one. I woke up around twelve thirty. Time for a quick shower and some breakfast for most. But I had to look amazing. Cameras roamed everywhere. I needed at least an hour, to make myself look like I didn't just roll out of bed.

I was running all over the apartment, half dressed. My shirt was unbuttoned and wide open. My black jeans were on and secure, and I had shoes on. My hair was a mess and I hadn't any time to shower. I was eating a bowl of Apple Jacks when the door man called up.

"Hey, John, what's up?" I asked, slurping my milk.

"There's a cute young lady here to see you." He announced, seeming a little amused.

This sparked my attention. Who cares if I'm a few minutes late to rehearse? "Send her up, John." I told him as I snapped my phone shut. I didn't bother buttoning my shirt. Ladies liked seeing my abs.

A few minutes after the call, my doorbell buzzed. I was quick to answer it, but not too quick. You're not that desperate, Edward. I opened the door wide and looked around. Not a soul. Strange. Just as I was closing the door a small voice rang out from below.

I looked down and my eyes widened a little. There was a small girl, probably five or six standing there. She had bronze hair, a lot like mine. Her hair was pin straight and fell to her shoulders. She had green eyes that also resembled mine greatly. She was pale and small, looking cross that I almostt shut the door on her.

I didn't have time for this.

"Sorry, kid, I don't do girl scout cookies." I told her, shutting the door.

As I walked away, the door buzzed again. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, as I opened the door again.

"You shut the door on me." She growled in a cute little baby voice. Wait, whoa! Did I just say cute little baby voice?

"Yeah, I did. Whatever you're selling, I'm not buying it." I hissed, trying to shut the door again. She stopped it with her foot. I still could've shut it, but I didn't want to crush her feet.

"I'm not selling anything." She told me, hugging a small teddy bear. Something caught her eye behind me. "Oooo, a doggy!"

She ran in my apartment, and fawned over Spike. She was petting him when I pulled her up by her arm.

"Hey, kid, I don't have time for this. And didn't your mommy ever tell you not to run into stranger's houses like that? There are a lot of freaks out there." I growled.

"Oh, please," She rolled her eyes. "You can spare a little time. And my mommy told me not to talk to weirdo's. You're not a weirdo."

"How do you know that?" I challenged. "Who are you here with anyway?"

"My daddy." She answered.

"Well, go find your daddy and leave me alone." I ordered. "I bet he's looking for you."

"He's not looking for me. He's looking _at _me." She said.

"What?" I asked, annoyed. I wanted this kid out of my apartment.

"Hi, I'm Lila." She introduced herself. "Who are you?"

"You don't know who I am?" I asked, astonished. "I'm Edward Cullen."

She wrinkled her nose like a bunny. That looked familiar. "Really? My mommy said he's a jerkface."

"Who's your mommy?" I demanded.

"My mommy's name is Bella. Bella Swan." She chirped.

I froze. Bella Swan? Bella, my Bella, was this little girls mother? Bella moved on, I thought sadly. Hey,wait. I'm a jerkface?

"Why are you here?" I asked in monotone.

"My mommy sent me here. My uncle Jacky is in the hospital. He was in a car crash. He got all broken. The hospital is in Florida and there no kids allowed. Mommy doesn't have friends. She had no where else to put me." She explained.

What was she talking about? Well, I beleived the no friends thing. Bella was perpetually annoyed with people in general.

"But why did she send you here?" I demanded, pacing around the living room.

"Because. Mommy said it was a good a time as any to meet my daddy."

I stopped in my tracks. Daddy? No, no. It couldn't be. That was years ago! I haven't seen her in six years! Then it dawned on me.

"How old are you?" I asked, getting on my knees and grabbing her shoulders.

"Six." She told me. Her breathe blew in my face. It smelled like cinnamon. Well, Bella was obsessed with cinnamon gum in high school. She chewed it all the time. She even forced me to every now and then.

I stared at the girl. She definately had Bella's nose. She scrunched it when she was unhappy. Well, this explained the hair and eyes. But why didn't Bella tell me sooner? She knew I wouldn't have turned them away!

Or did she?

But this was a horrible time! It was a busy season! It was June, kids were getting off school and concerts were going to be big. I couldn't have a child running around me.

"What about your grandma? Renee? Can't you stay with her?" As much as I was apposed to this child with Renee's awful husband, I was desperate.

She shook her head. "Grandma is with Uncle Jacky and mommy."

"What about your Grandpa?" I regreted the words as soon as they flew out of my mouth. Bella despised Dino and her father. What with her father walking out on them and Dino with his drinking and violence. I was certain she drilled all of this into Lila's mind.

"You mean that no good husband Grandma has or that loser that left my mommy when she was little?" She asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"Nevermind." I muttered. "I have to go."

"Well, you have a potty don't you?" Her eyes looked up at me in a strangely innocent way.

"No, no. I mean, I have to go to rehearsal." I sighed, buttoning my shirt and grabbing my jacket.

"Where am I supposed to go?" She demanded.

"With me." I growled, pulling her by her arm. Her suitcase was in the hall so I tossed that in before I locked the door. She was protesting as I dragged her behind me. When we got down to the lobby, John was laughing at my scowl.

"Hey, thanks for the warning, John." I said sarcastically as my car was being pulled up.

"I told you she was cute." He shrugged, ruffling Lila's hair, making her laugh.

My car pulled up, a shiny silver Mercedes-Benz. It was good looking and popular, just as I was. Though, I did miss my Volvo from high school, which was parked in the back lot. I had a lot of memories in that car.

I got in the frontseat and was all ready to go when I noticed Lila was just standing there next to the door.

"Well, c'mon! I don't have all day." I barked. She jumped. She seemed to be in another zone when I snapped this at her.

"And this car doesn't have a backseat." She snapped, putting both hands on her little hips, her teddy bear dangling out of her left hand.

"So, what? Get in the car!" I told her. She shook her head.

"If you get in an accident, the airbag will crush me." She insisted. Accident? Hadn't Bella told this kid that I've never ever been in an accident before? I was the perfect driver!

"You'll be fine." I said through my teeth. She sighed, sounding so much like Bella it sent a wave of shock over me.

"I don't know." She hedged.

"Please, god, get in the car!" I groaned, letting my head fall back against the seat.

"Fine." She huffed. John helped her open the car door and she climbed in, placing her bear on her lap as she buckled in. She then turned to me with the smuggest smile on her face. "But you don't have to call me god."


	3. A Warm Welcome

I growled alittle to myself. Bella always said stuff like that to get on my last nerve. Whenever I was irritated, most people left me alone. But not Bella. She had to push and push until I was telling her every miniscul thing that bothered me. Then she would laugh and make a crack about how I would be so welcome at Anger Managment. Then, I wouldn't talk to her and she would sit there all accomplished because her commentary made me angry. We repeated this process almost every other day.

"You're a singer, right?" She asked, fiddling with the strap of her seatbelt.

"Yes." I answered, in a bored tone. I could honestly care less where she was going with this.

"Mommy sings, too." She informed me. I already knew that, kid!

"I'm aware of that." I sighed.

"She sings to me a lot. Mommy sings me to sleep every night." She chirped, playing with her bears ears. "Will you sing to me at night?"

"Whatever, sure." I told her, with a shake of my head. We arrived at the studio in no time. I got out of the car and made my way to the door, waiting impatiently as Lila ran along behind me.

"Slow down!" She commanded. I did as told, surprisingly.

We walked down the halls until we got to the stage me and the guys practiced at. I placed Lila outside the door and told her to stay here until I told her to come in. She nodded, sitting cross legged on the floor, hugging her bear. I walked in the room, and much to my releif, saw Alice.

"Dude, what's up? You're late." Jasper pointed out, tapping his watch.

"We have a problem." I announced.

"What?" Rosalie asked, filing away at her nails.

"I have a kid." My voice was flat. Emmett and Jasper's mouths flew open and Alice shrieked. Rosalie grinned ear to ear.

"Looks like you weren't as safe as you thought, Eddie Boy." Emmett laughed, his booming laugh

"Who's the mom?" Alice demanded.

"Bella Swan." I told her. She screamed. Alice and Bella were the best of friends that year. Alice loved to dress Bella up and put make up on her. Bella hated it, but loved Alice's spirit.

"Who's that?" Jasper asked. Oh, yeah. Jasper, Emmett and Rose weren't in high school with us.

"Edward ah-mazing ex girlfriend!" Alice giggled. "She is soooo cool, where is she nowadays? And when do you get to meet your kid?"

"Well, thats where the problem comes about. Remember Bella's brother, Jack?" I asked. She nodded. "Well, apparently he got in a car accident and is pretty banged up. The hospital that there treating him in isn't child friendly. And you know how close Bella and Jack are, she'll never leave his side. And Bella doesn't make friends easily, you know that. She had no where else to send the kid, so....she sent her here."

Alice screamed louder then I've ever heard her scream. "Where is she?"

"Lila!" I called.

"What a pretty name." Rosalie murmured.

Lila danced into the room, her arms swinging at her sides. She bounced over and stood next to me, smiling widely.

"Lila, everyone. Everyone, Lila." I made a hand gesture at her and went to set up my mic.

"Hi! I'm your Aunt Alice!" Alice bound over and got on her knees next to Lila. She was as tall as her like that. Lila's face brightened.

"Mommy told me bout you! She said you were her bestest friend!" Lila exclaimed, toppling Alice over in a hug.

"Bella doesn't dress you too bad." Alice looked over Lila's outfit. A yellow sundress with white flip flops and a yellow headband in her hair. Woohoo.

"She'll like that you said that." Lila giggled.

"It is a high compliment." Rosalie glanced up from filing her nails. "Hi, honey. I'm Rose."

"Lila." She nodded.

"Lila, what's your full name?" Alice asked, a strange glint in her eye.

"Lila Arabella Alicia Swan." She answered, no falter in her voice at all.

Alice squealed. "She named her after me!"

"How?" Emmett snorted.

"Alicia! That's Alice if you take out the e and add an i and an a." She explained in a 'duh' tone.

"That's so stupid." Emmett rolled his eyes. Lila glared at him.

"Stupid is a mean word." She said through her teeth. Jasper laughed at her scrunched up face.

"It is not." Emmett argued.

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too!"

"Enough!" I snapped.

"She started it!" He exclaimed the same time Lila yelled "He started it!"

"I don't care who started it! I'm ending it!" I growled.

"That's what Grandma says when Uncle Jacky and I argue." Lila told me matter-of-factly.

"Jack argues with a six year old?" Alice was amused.

"Stupid is a mean word!" Lila yelled.

"I didn't say stupid!" Alice said, kind of scared of the raging little ankle biter.

"But you implied that I was stupid which is worse then saying out loud that I really am stupid." Lila told her, crossing her arms. Alice stared at the kid in awe.

"You are your mother's child." She gave a little laugh.

"Straight up." She said, giving her a glare. Then it softened and she giggled. "Uncle Jacky taught me that!"

"Everyone, quiet!" I hissed, setting up the mic. They obliged and Emmett and Jasper set up as well. We tuned the instruments and started.

"What are you gonna sing?" Lila asked. "Mommy sings me fun songs."

"Like what?" Jasper asked.

"Songs her and Uncle Jacky write." She answered. Jazz shrugged and we started up. We praciced a few of our sketchy songs while I watched Lila dance around the room in a surprisingly graceful motion. Was she in ballet? I knew Renee liked that sort of thing, but Bella was more of a tom boy. She was into music and hip hop dance. Well, she liked some country too and even sang a little of it, considering she was from Tenessee.

I remembered how she used to talk about Tenessee all the time. She moved to Forks when she was ten, after her dad left the family. Her mom just couldn't handle being in the house they bought together. Bella missed Tenessee terribly. It was where all her family was. Well, except Jack and Renee.

When we took a break, Esme came rushing in, followed by Carlisle. Hmm. I suppose Alice called them.

"Edward, where is she?" She asked with the biggest grin on her face. I rolled my eyes. Why was she so excited? It was just a little kid. I pointed to where Lila was twirling. Esme ran over and swooped the girl up in a second. Lila's eyes widened in surprise.

"Hey!" She exclaimed. "I know you!"

"Really?" Esme looked confused, but thrilled nonetheless.

"Yeah!" She seemed bewildered my Esme's face. "Mommy has pictures of you! And Aunt Alice and that guy over there," She gestued toward Carlisle. He smiled a small smile to himself. "And daddy!"

I froze when I heard daddy. So did everyone else. Oh jesus help me, I'm a father!

"I'm daddy's mommy." Esme explained, recovering quickly.

"So you're my grandma?" She asked.

"Exactly." Esme chirped. Lila threw her arms tighter around Esme's neck.

"Are you done yet? I wanna go home and see Lila's clothes!" Alice complained somewhere behind me.

"Fine. I guess the infant is more important than my career." I muttered, quietly to myself. Good, no one heard me. Alice and Esme would have a field day. I then answered louder. "Yeah, sure, whatever."


	4. Kids Are Cruel

We all bound out to our cars. I tossed Lila in the seat and closed the door. Everyone else had already left for my apartment. I kicked a puddle of oil left from Emmett's Jeep. It splashed up and got all over my pants. Fan-fucking-tastic.

I stomped over and got in the car. Lila was humming and it was a good soothing thing for me to focos on as I frove.

Bella would murder me if she found out I crashed with Lila in the car.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" She asked suddenly. I'd heard that question a lot. But never from my six year old daughter. Oh god, my daughter...

"Yes." I answered. She stared at me with those electric little eyes before sighing a small sigh.

"What?" I asked, irritated. Not that I care. It was a knee-jerk reaction task someone the reason for their mood.

"Mommy and Unlce Jacky told me you were very not difficult." She huffed. Not difficult? Huh?

"What are you talking about?" I snapped. She looked around, as if to make sure no one was listening. She leaned closer to me and whispered softly.

"Unlce Jacky said not to say this around mommy cause she would do some not nice things to him, but he told me you were a man whore. What's a man whore?"

Oh. I got it now. I was easy. Not difficult, easy. Same thing. I sighed. Jack had felt the need to tell his neice that her father was a man whore. Real nice, Jack. Thanks.

"A man whore is a word you shouldn't know." I explained. "And why does Jack think I'm so not difficult?"

"He said that he saw you sucking face with a girl outside the store when he went in and when he came out you were shoving your tongue down another girls throat. He said you did some other stuff that I don't need to know about. Does sucking face hurt?" She asked. She was so innocent.

"You don't need to know that." I told her. "And Jack doesnt know what he's talking about."

This made her angry. "Uncle Jacky is super smart. He knows everything." She defended her uncle.

"Then why did he get in a car accident?" It was stupid, challenging a six year old, but I was annoyed.

"Because some guy was stupid and didn't know how to step on a brake!" She snapped. It was almost as if I was speaking with Bella. She was so protective of Jack and vice versa. Jack would die for his baby sister. I can just hear her now if someone told her that. 'What? Aren't I good enough to live for?'

"I thought stupid was a mean word." I mocked her.

"It is!" She exclaimed.

"Well, you just said it. Does that make you a mean person?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No!" She hissed.

"Well, if you can say it, it's obviously not a very mean word." I told her.

"It is too." She said through her little teeth. "Do you have paper?"

I huffed but pointed to the glove compartment where there was a notepad and a pen. Could she write? She scribbled a few things down and handed them to me at a red light.

**Mean Words**

**STUPID**

**Lame**

**Dumb**

**Idiot**

**Moron**

**Loser**

**Dork**

**Nerd**

"Those are all mean words." She informed me. She had messy scrawl like her mother. It was comforting to see that writing again.

"Fine. If it's so important, I won't say these words." I growled, tossing them back to her.

"Good." She seemed satisfied with herself. Arrogant little rugrat.

We got back to my apartment and found everyone already inside. Esme and Carlisle had a key in case of emergencies. They were eating chips and lounging lazily on my large couch and shaggy rug. Alice was on her stomach on the rug, Rosalie sitting cross legged next to her. Jasper was sitting with his feet up on the coffee table, while Emmett was doing the same. Carlisle was rummaging around in my fridge, while Esme sat on the couch with her legs crossed, waiting for us.

Alice screamed when we came in. I was going to have to have my ears checked if she kept doing that. Damn little sister.

"Lila, go get your clothes ans show me them!" Alice instructed. Lila nodded and got her suitcase from the doorway and brought it to Alice. Alice unzipped it and looked through. She pulled a few dresses and shirts.

"These are gorgeous!" She breathed. "We might be the same size."

"Alice, you're twenty one. Lila is six." Carlisle said as he came back in the room and sat down on my couch next to Esme.

"So? They're the same height, they might as well be the same size." Emmett chuckled.

"Shut up, Emmett!" Alice stuck her tongue out. Lila gasped and ran to get something from the kitchen. She came back with her list of mean words. She had written something at the bottom in big letters.

**SHUT UP**

"I want you all to look at these." Lila ordered. "All of these words are mean words."

"I agree with her." Esme said looking over the list and passing it to Carlisle. "Though I might add a few others." She eyed Emmett.

"Like what?" Lila asked.

"None of your buisness." Emmett playfully told her, ruffling her hair. She mock glared and tackled him. He screamed out of false fear and laughed as she hit him with her tiny fists.

"I'm a bear!" He roared. I rolled my eyes.

"No. you're not! You're a bunny!" Lila argued. Everyone snickered as Emmett's face fell.

"A bunny? C'mon, Squirt! I wanna be a bear!" Emmett whined.

"Well, that's too bad. You're a bunny." Lila's tone made it final. Emmett pouted.

"You're my bear." Rosalie comforted him from the floor.

All you heard was the paper being passed around for a few seconds. Emmett broke the silence.


	5. Going Back

"Do you have any of those pictures you mentioned, Squirt?" Emmett asked, a dangerous glint in his brown eyes.

"Uh-huh." She answered, getting a few from her bag. She handed him one of Bella, Alice and I. We were at the pumpkin patch, despite our age. I remember that day perfectly.

_"Edward, help me!" Bella huffed as she tried in vain to lift her pumpkin._

_"I'm coming." I chuckled._

_Alice was carrying her dwarf pumpkin easily, fiddling with Bella's camera with one hand. _

_"Aha!" She finally exclaimed. She dropped her pumpkin and dragged some guy over to us._

_"You don't mind taking our picture, do you?" She batted her eyelashes._

_"N-no." He stuttered, gulping. _

_"Thanks." She chirped. "Bella stand next to me. Edward you get next to Bella."_

_I took Bella in both my arms resting my chin on her head. She laughed a little, burying her face in my chest. Alice rolled her gray eyes at us. _

_And that's exactly when the man took the picture._

Those were the days, I thought with a small sigh. Lila generated another picture. It was Esme, Carlisle, Alice, Bella and I. We were in my living room sitting similiar to how we are now. Carlisle on the couch, Esme with her legs crossed. Alice on the floor, Bella on my lap. A comfortable place with comfortable people.

_"You guys, sit still! I'm putting the timer on!" Alice warned us. She messed around with her digital camera for a oment, before placing it on the entertainment center. She quickly flung herself into the postiion she was in before, smiling widely at the camera. _

_Bella had been sitting beside me, so I quickly pulled her into my lap. She laughed at my eagerness, but complied nonetheless. I grinned, as did everyone else as the small flash went off. _

"That was so cheesy." Emmett commented. "What were you, the Von Trapps? The Partridge family?"

"No, we were happy that our little boy was in love." Esme responded, ruffling my hair.

"You and mommy were in love?" Lila gasped. "But she said you were jerkface!"

"Hey!" Emmett protested. "Why isn't that on the Mean Words list?"

"Because my mommy says it and she doesnt say mean words." Lila told him matter of factly.

I couldn't even try to hold in my laughter. I couldn't even count how many times she called me 'mean words' that morning.

_"Fuck you!"_

_"I hate you, bastard!"_

_"Shut the hell up!"_

_"Bite me!"_

_"That is shit, Edward!"_

_"Get out of my face, goddamnit!"_

Those were just a few. She used some other choice phrases as well. Let's just say, my ego never fully recovered from some of the things she told me.

_"Your head is shoved too far up your ass for you to even hear how big of an jerk you really are!"_

_"Save it you self centered, asshat!"_

_"Your ego is bigger than the Asian population ! For god sakes, Edward, get over yourself!"_

I suppose I deserved some of those. But that first one was still a little harsh. I'm not a jerk. Or a jerkface, for that matter. I'm myself, is all. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. At least, that's what I like to tell myself.

Lila took another picture out, the last picture it seemed. My breathing hitched when I saw it. It was Bella and I. I had my arms around her, I was standing behind her. She twisted around to kiss me. That's when Alice took the picture.

_"Boo!" I whispered, as I wrapped my arms around her stomach from behind. _

_"Oooo, scary." She said, playfully. I chuckled in her ear. _

_"You better beleive it." I murmured. She shivered._

_She laughed and twisted around to meet my lips. We heard tiny running footsteps and heard a flash. We looked up and saw Alice dancing around with Bella's digital camera. Bella laughed and started chasing Alice around the yard. Alice was fast, but Bella was faster. She tackled her, just like her brother showed her, and brought Alice to the ground. They were tangled together, laughing like mad women._

That was a good day. I never wanted it to end. But sadly, it had, and that was one of the last days Bella was truly happy with me. At least, that's what I think.


	6. Mean Words

Those were all the pictures Lila had with her. She said, and I qoute, 'Mommy said she wouldn't be gone long, I didn't need too many pictures'. I then realized that no one really had an explanation. I beleive Alice did too, because she then asked Lila,

"Sweetie, why are you here?"

"Mommy didn't have no where else to put me. My Uncle Jacky got in a car bang and got broken. The doctor place he's in doesnt like kids, and mommy was scared to leave Uncle Jacky. So, she decided to send me here." She explained. Car bang? Hmmm. Sounds exactly like something Bella would teach her.

"Doesn't she have parents?" Rosalie asked, rather rudely.

"Mommy's mommy was with her in the doctor building. Mommy doesn't know where her daddy is, and Grandma's husband is a meanie head to mommy and me." Lila answered, defensively of her mother. Obviously she inherated that feirce loyalness from her mom.

"Well, doesn't she have friends? I mean, everyone has friends." Jasper wasn't asking this to be rude, like Rosalie. He was genuinely confused, I could tell by his face.

"Bella was never good at making friends," Alice shook her head. "She's too headstrong. People are repelled by her independance."

"And Uncle Jacky _is _mommy's best friend." Lila added.

That was true. Even while Jack was off at college, he called her every night at exactly nine o'clock. Every weekend he drove for three hours to come and see her. And he emailed her as often as possible. He always liked to send her pictures of him and his girlfriend, I think her name was Amy. Bella didn't care for Amy at all. She thought she was a whore.

"Who's your best friend?" Esme asked, sweetly. Lila smiled, a full Bella like smile.

"Mommy." She responded.

"But what about friends at school?" Carlisle asked.

Lila sighed, making her soun far older then six. "The girls in school don't like me. Their mommies knew that daddy and mommy weren't married and told them. They picked on me cause I only had mommy."

I was schocked. Were little kids really that cruel?

"But your mommy is so much fun." Alice protested.

"That's what I said. And one day when Uncle Jacky picked me up from school cause was mommy had to work, this mean girl Ashley said that Uncle Jacky had to pick me up because my daddy was too busy not wanting me." She looked down, saddened with this memory. "Uncle Jacky was really mad. He yelled at Ashley's mommy."

"What did he say?" Emmett asked, a little amused. I know, it's sick to be amused with little girls pain, but I think he was more humored by the fact Jack yelled at some little girls mom.

"He said that Ashley was a little brat, and that I didn't have a daddy because that was mommy's choice. He told her that he loved picking me up and taking care of me, because I was his neice and he loved me." Lila cheered up a little when she remembered this. "Uncle Jacky is my best friend too."

"That's so sweet." Esme mused, quietly.

"Sounds like a cool guy." Jasper agreed.

"Eh, he sounds okay." Emmett said, making a shaky sign with his hand.

"Trust me, Em. He's more then okay." Alice told him.

"He was a nice boy." Carlisle added.

"Still is, it seems." I murmured, almost silently. No one heard but Lila, who looked up at me with peircing adoration in her glowing green eyes.

"He is." She promised, in a small and innocent voice.

Was that adoration for Jack, who protected her as any good uncle should? Or for her mother, whom she was a lively clone of? Or maybe, just maybe......that adoration was perhaps for me?

I shuddered slightly at the thought.

It was around seven when Lila started getting a little drowsy. Esme, Alice and Rose went to help her get to bed. I heard Rosalie in the bathroom, helping Lila brushing her teeth. I heard Alice in one of the spare bedrooms, helping her with her pajamas. I heard Esme tucking her in, kissing her goodnight. What I didn't hear was Alice sneak up behind me in the kitchen, to tell me that Lila wanted me. I sighed, a small amount of irritation.

I couldn't exactly call Tanya while Lila was staying with me, could I? Hmmm. This could be a problem.

I made my way to the spare room that Lila was sleeping in. When I moved in, Alice and Esme painted all the rooms and got me furniture they thought would suit me. I loved my loft, but sometimes....it was unnerving. To have rooms that seemed like people occupied them, even though it was just me and Spike. And now Lila.

The room she was in was painted a soft purple color. I saw that she had brought her blankets with her, for comfort reasons I'm sure. She was laying in the large bed, eyes lazily closing. Why on Earth did she want me?

"What?" I asked, coming to stand at the foot of her bed.

"Will you sing to me? I have bad dreams if I don't hear my lullaby," She told me, softly. "Mommy says it was her lullaby before I came."

Bella sang Lila her lullaby? I composed it for soon after I realized I was madly in love with her. Maybe, there was a slight chance Bella still had the connection to the lullaby that I had? I had a lot of memories revolved around that simple song. Nights spent in Bella's small room, humming the tune as she drifted off to sleep. I knew it by heart. I even caught myself singing it when I was in the presence of no one else.

"Only if you promise to go to sleep right after." I told her. She nodded, drowsily. It wouldn't be long before she was out.

I started to hum the tune I knew all to well as I watched her drift off to Dreamland. I vaguely remember Bella, before going to sleep, how she would always whisper, "I'll see you in Dreamland." When I was convinced Lila was asleep, I crept out of the room slowly. But as I was closing the door, I heard a soft voice whisper in the dark,

"I'll see you in Dreamland."


	7. The Day After DreamLand

The next morning, well, let's say it came quickly. After putting Lila to bed, Carlisle and Esme left, claiming Carlisle had an early day at work. Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Rose hung around til about ten and then headed out. Emmett said something about seeing me tomorrow. After they left, all I could do was tread off to my bed and collapse onto my covers.

I was awoken by small hands touching me cheek. I opened my eyes and saw Lila, in her Little Mermaid pajamas, standing on the side of my bed touching me face to wake me up. She smiled when my eyes opened. She looked excited.

"I saw you in my dreams!" She told me.

"How nice for you." I muttered. It was mean, I know, she was just a little kid. But it was seven in the friggin morning! I never got up before eleven, unless I was catching a plane.

"Did you see me in your dreams?" She asked, struggling to pull herself up on my bed. I finally gave in and lifted her up so she was sitting next to me on my comforter.

I honestly couldn't recall anything from my dreams. I beleive I was in too deep a sleep to have dreams last night.

"I didn't have any dreams." I sighed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"That's not true." She shook her small head. "I heard you. You were sleep talking. Mommy does it all the time. You said 'Bella, Bella, Lila.' See, I was in your dreams! And mommy too!"

I said that? I didn't take Lila for a liar, so I simply shook it off and got up to take a shower. When I was dressed and in my kitchen, I found Lila sitting at the counter, holding a book. She jumped up when she saw me.

"I almost forgot!" She cried. "Mommy said to give this to you when I got here. She said it would explain everything."

I nodded, eager now, and took the small black book. I told Lila to go watch TV and I sat at my table and opened the book. There, inside the cover was a small peice of paper. I read it, schocked to see what was on that page.

_**Dear Edward,**_

_**I know that you honestly had no idea you had a daughter. I didn't know until my fourth month when I started to blow up like a freakin balloon. I'm sorry I just left her with you, but I seriously had no other choice. Jack was in a car accident and is in Emergency Care in Tenessee. The hospital doesn't want kids under ten hanging around, and I had no where else to turn. My mom is with Jack and I, Dino couldn't care less about her (Not that I would ever leave Lila with that idiot) and I haven't got a clue where my dad is. I know you were never great with kids, but I have a good feeling you'll be great with Lila. She's always wanted to meet you. **_

_**You may not really know Lila, but you will. And you'll love her. I trust you, Edward. No matter how conceited you are, you've always been good about taking care of the people you love. This book is a diary I kept while I was pregnant with Lila. It has my innner most personal thoughts. I think you might enjoy what you read. **_

_**Remember, Edward. Take good care of my baby. I love her. And beleive it or not, I love you too. **_

_**Love,**_

_**Bella**_

_**Ps: Say hi to Alice for me. Oh, and Lila, being the mini me that she is, hates shopping. So, don't have Alice dragging her all around the mall. **_

_**Pss: She doesnt like to be alone. She's just like you, in that way.**_

_**Oh, right! In Lila's suitcase there are eight videos. There all about Lila. Watch them if you'd like.**_

I couldn't fathom it. She loved me. She really, truly loved me. It couldn't be true. She had said unspeakable things to me that night. Horrid, nasty insults that I frankly never beleived Bella had in her. I mean, she could be a good a bitch as any, but she was sweet underneath it all.

I flipped to the first page in the book.

_**June 6**_

_**Oh my god. No, seriously. God, why do you hate me? Why? I was a good girl. I admit, I never really went to church regularly, but I went on Easter! That has to count for something! You know I'm all alone. Why, oh why, are you doing this?**_

_**I can't be pregnant. I just can't. **_

_**Mom is going to kill me. I mean, I'm only seventeen. I can't raise a child! I can't provide a stable enviorment for a little kid! I don't have enough money for an apartment, all my money went to college. I guess I could move in with Jack...but would he want a baby crawling around? I can't stay home. Not with Dino on his drunken rages and mom always at work. I don't have freinds. Well, besides Alice. But she's Edward's sister! This is too frustrating!**_

_**Damn. This means Yale is **__**DEFINATELY**__** out of the picture.**_

I had to chuckle at Bella's first entry. I could see her now, getting all flustered. Her nose scrunching, her breathing picking up into small frustrated huffs. She was so cute when she was angry. I snorted as I thought this. If I thought she was cute when she was angry, I must have been hyptonized by her beauty the day after I got her pregnant. She was beyond furious


	8. Tanya

I sauntered into the living room, grinning like a mad man. Lila was on the couch, watching something called Dragon Tales. What in hells name was that? I grabbed the remote off the coffee table and switched it to ESPN. Lila whined.

"I was watching that!" She protested.

"Well, I'm watching that!" I told her, pointing at the TV.

"That wasn't very nice." She pouted.

"It wasn't mean either." I agreed.

"Yes it was!" She exclaimed.

The phone rang. I sighed as Lila changed the channel when I got up to answer it.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Edward, Tanya's here to see you." John sounded more then unpleasant.

I glanced nervously at Lila. She was smiling as a small pink dragon lifted a girl with brown hair into the air and flew. I sighed. I might as well get it out of the way. "Go ahead and send her up."

I went back into the living room and turned the TV completely off. Lila groaned. "Why'd you do that?"

"My," insert throat clearing here "friend will be here in a minute. I need you to go to your room."

"Who is he?" She asked.

"It's a she." I corrected her, fixing the pillows and putting the cereal away in the kitchen

"Mommy said you have a lot of girlfriends." She accused.

"Well, your mommy is right. Now go." I answered.

"She's always right." Lila nodded.

"I find that hard to imagine." I disagreed, though I knew it was true.

Lila stared at me with cold, distant eyes. "Just go answer the door." She ordered, before stomping off to her room. I almost had to do a double take to make sure it wasn't Bella stomping away.

A second later, the doorbell rang. I suppose Lila inheritated her pyshic abilities from her aunt. And Jack, come to think of it. I opened the door and grinned when I saw the bleach blond hair and bright blue eyes.

"Eddie!" She sang, throwing herself into my arms.

Lila Swan

I heard the door open and a voice that sounded like you shoved peas up her nose. I opened my door and looked in the hallway. Daddy was making a kissy face at a barbie looking woman. She had blond hair, blue eyes and looked like she lived in the Malibu Dream House. I almost gagged when Daddy leaned in and kissed her. It was gross!

This wasn't supposed to happen. I always wanted to meet my daddy. I saw him in singing videos sometimes, and on the TV but never in person. When uncle Jacky got in the car boom, and mommy sent me here, I was soooo excited! But now I'm mad. Why was daddy making those slurpy noises with that lady? Mommy says it gross when you chew with your mouth open and that's what it sounded like they were doing.

What did Uncle Jacky call it? Swapping spit? Ew.

I huffed and crossed my arms. Mommy says I have her daddy's angry face. I guess that makes me happy. I never met mommy's daddy and mommy only knew him for ten years. But still, I've always wanted to see him too. Grandma says I have his mouth. Whatever that means.

I was still in my jammies. I mean, it was only nine o'clock! Why this lady here so early? I went to my dresser, where Auntie Alice put my clothes away in. I pulled out my favorite dress. It was green like my eyes. I put it on and brushed my hair just like mommy showed me. When I was all finished, I went out in the hallway.

Barbie lady and daddy were still making those noises and didn't see me. I glared at the back of that lady's head. She was wearing a short red dress, that didn't cover her butt. You could see her underwear! Did her underwear rip? It was just a string. I didn't have any string undies. Mommy said those were for old, mean girls. Was this lady mean then?

She had a lot of cakey stuff on her face. I think it was called make up. I had some play make up at home. Grandma got me it for my birthday! Mommy said I looked very pretty, but this lady didn't. Uncle Jacky said there was a word for girls like this. What was it? Skunk? No, no that's a yucky animal. Skonk? No, that doesn't make sense. But it was a funny word. I giggled.

Daddy leaned away from the woman and looked over her shoulder.

"I told you to stay in your room!" He made a hissy noise at me like Dino's cat. Mommy said not to call Dino grandpa. He wasn't my grandpa.

The mean lady turned around and looked confused. She had bright, sticky looking red stuff on her lips. Oh no! Did she know her boobies were falling out? I don't think she did. Hey! I remember what that word was!

"Who are you?" She asked with her pea nose voice again. It was annoying.

"I'm Lila." I said, staring at her weird sparkly eyes.

"Eddie, why is she here?" The sparkled eye lady asked.

"His name is Edward, not Eddie." I told her, before Daddy could say anything. "And that's my daddy."

The lady's mouth fell open. She had red stuff on her teeth.

"You have a daughter?" She seemed mad.

"Tanya, I just found out." Daddy said, looking worried. Tanya? Is this daddy's girlfriend?

"My Uncle Jacky said there's words for lady's like you." I told her.

Her eyes got all small. "What words?"

"A skank. And a whore. Oh, and a gold digger!" I remembered. "I digged for gold at the beach once. I couldn't find any."

The lady made a gaspy sound and grabbed daddy's hand. "Eddie! Don't just stand there! Do something!" She had a serious voice. Like mommy does when Jacky and I do something bad.

"Like what?" Daddy asked. He was smiling, and looked like he wanted to laugh. At Tanya's cakey face?

"I don't know! Hit her!" Tanya looked mad. Hey, wait! Hit me? I could take her. Uncle Jacky showed me how to punch. I gave a girl who called me poor a black eyes once! Mommy wasn't happy about that.

"Tanya, she doesn't even know what those words mean." Daddy wasn't smiling anymore. He looked mad.

"Eddie, she called me a whore!" She made a stammery noise like when mommy's CD player doesn't work right.

"You are a whore." I made a growly sound that I heard daddy make before.

"Alright, alright. Lila, go to your room. Tanya, go on out to the living room. I'll be there in a second." Daddy told her, as he lead me to my room.

"What's a whore?" I asked when he was inside the room and shut the door.

"A not nice word." He answered. He grabbed a marker from my desk I was coloring at last night, and wrote something on my mean words list. I looked at it.

**Whore**

**Skank**

**Gold Digger**

"But Uncle Jacky says those words and he's not mean!" I made my pouty face. It always works on Grandma and Uncle Jacky.

"There mean words when little girls say it." Daddy looked at the door.

"I'm a big girl." I huffed.

"Well, be a big girl and stay in here until Tanya leaves." He told me, with a serious face. He looked kind of mad again when he looked at the door. "It won't be long."

"Are you and her having a play date?" I asked, sitting on my big bouncy bed.

"No. Tanya has to go home." He said, before he went out and shut the door.

Oh well. Maybe I can color daddy a picture


	9. Bella Swan Wuz Here

Edward Cullen

I was so angry right now. Tanya had suggested I hit my innocent little daughter! I may be new at this parenting thing, but I knew for a fact I just couldn't lay a hand on that face. She didn't have a clue what those words meant. She just knew they were mean. Tanya was going to get a peice of my mind.

She was sitting on my couch, her stillettos making small indents in the carpet. I growled. She was so comfortable. Not for long.

She grinned her slutty grin when she noticed me. "That little brat better not interupt again. I bet you showed her, Eddie-Kinz."

"How dare you." I hissed, menacingly.

"What?" She looked irritatingly confused.

"How dare you suggest I hit that child!" I growled.

"She deserved it." Tanya shrugged.

"She in no way deserved that! She's just a little kid! She doesn't know any better." I said through my teeth.

"I bet her mom never taught her manners. She probably got so sick of the little brat, she shipped her off to you." Tanya snorted.

"One, don't you ever call my daughter a brat. Two, if you ever insult Bella like that again I'll kill you. Bella is a god damn excellent mother. And I love her with all my heart. Three, she didn't get sick of her own daughter! Her brother was in a car accident and is in the emergency ward! Bella's worried sick about her _family_, when all your thinking about is hooking up with a rockstar." I barked.

"I made you a rockstar." Tanya sniffed like the little priss she was.

"No. I mead myself a rockstar. With the help of my family and Bella." I disagreed, narrowing my eyes at her.

"You wouldn't be anywhere without me, Eddie." She said, snottily.

"Really? Then I'm going back to being nowhere, because you're fired!" I yelled. She looked shocked.

"You can't fire me!" She argued.

"Oh, I beleive I just did. I should have done it a long time ago, too! A six year old is a hell of a lot smarter then you, Tanya! I bet Lila could be a better agent." I mocked her.

"Well, then hire her because I quit!" She exclaimed, storming for the door.

"You can't quit! I already fired you!" I yelled. She slammed the door behind her. I sighen, angrily and ran a hand through my hair. Stupid, slutty Tanya. Why did I even hire her in the first place?

Oh, yeah

Because she was hot. And easy.

Just like me.

Bella Swan

I sat by Jack's bed, holding his still hand. He hadn't been very talkitive since he got here. I couldn't blame him, I mean, he was in emergency care! But still, it worried me when he was so silent.

I wonder how Lila's doing. I really hope I did the right thing sending the center of my world off to Edward. I know he's responisble and a good guy deep down, but he still has a tendency to be...selfish. Lila was a lot like him , minus she selfish. She had a bad temper. She was sarcastic and witty. She was absolutely brilliant, even for a six year old. Not to mention, they were practically identical.

Sometimes it hurt to look at my baby. To see the same expressions he always used, mirrored in that innocent face. It burned when she would roll her eyes at me. I remember Edward doing that all the time when he thought I was being ridiculios. He always thought I was being ridiculous.

Edward just never grasped how my mind really worked. I mean, he knew me better then most, but I practically shared a brain with Jack. He didn't grow up the way I did. When we moved away from Tenessee, to Forks, mom couldn't find a stable job for a few months. Dad had left us to fend for ourselves.

I was only ten, I couldn't do much, but Jack was fourteen. They gave him a job at the gas station, working the cash register. He worked there until he was eighteen, and had just enough for college.

When mom finally got a job as a receptionist at the hospital, she had to work overtime most days. That job just didn't pay the bills. Jack always gave half his paycheck to help out, but mom didn't like taking money from her son like that. When Jack went off to college, I was fourteen. That's when mom decided it would be best to marry Dino.

Dino was Italian. He grew up in Florence, Italy with his mother and father. When he was fifteen, his mother committed suicide. His father became an alchohalic to handle his pain. Dino followed proudly in his footsteps. He was in Forks that month on 'buisness'. Really, he had been looking for a low key place to continue his drinking in peace.

On one of his drunken fits, he broke his arms. He had to go to the hospital and that's how mom and him met. Mom didn't know he was into that drinking shit til way after the fact. They got married three months after they met. I wasn't happy at all, and neither was Jack. We thought mom was rushing into this way too fast. But if it made her happy, we would plaster a smile on our faces and suck it up.

Only two weeks after they got married, Dino hit my mother. He got home from work (He taught violin at the high school. Sooo embarassing) one day and mom had a headache. She hadn't made dinner yet. Dino didn't have a very high tolernace for incompetance or tardiness. I would know, mom made me sign up for his class. I only got a B- to make my mother happy.

Dine was apparently starving. I had seen him taking shots in between classes that day, so I knew he was a little tipsy. I tried to get home first, to warn my mom, but you could only go so fast on foot. Dino refused to drive me home and I was only fifteen, I only had a learners permit. Dino beat me home and when I walked in the door, mom was crying in the kitchen with a red handprint on her smooth skin.

She had cried on my shoulder all night. I thought about calling Jack. But I couldn't worry him like that. He had too much to do already, what with college. He had gotten into Yale, just like me.

So we let it slide. After a few weeks, the violence got more and more frequent. After about four months, he hit me too. Of course, I wasn't defensless like Renee. I actually knew how to pack a punch. Jack and my cousin, Carson taught me when I was nine. Carson is a year older then Jack, so he was fifteen when we moved away from home. He was tuff, but he actually cried when we left. Everyone did.

I always fought back whenever he tried to hit me. I gave him a black eye twice. And kicked him in his man package five times. I'm surprised he can have kids. I kick pretty damn hard. Ask Jack if you don't beleive me. After a while, he got more agressive with my mom when he saw I wasn't going to take it calmly. My mom _was_ an easy target. I tried to teach her to fight back almost every day, but she was just too nice and sweet. She could never hit anybody.

When I met Edward, I was sixteen. I had transfered high schools, to get away from Dino. I used to go to Port Angeles high. I switched so that I went to Forks high school. It was only a block away from my house, so I didn't even have to drive.

Not tha I had a car.

I was the new girl. People generally didn't like new kids in normal places, but in Forks there aren't a lot of new people. I'm sure kids had seen me around town now and then, but we didn't go out much. Too many bruises on Renee, and I had to stay home to make sure Dino didn't ruff her up too bad.

Kids tried to be friends with me, but I didn't want their friendship. I liked to keep to myself. I wasn't very good around new people. I was just like my dad when it came to that. But I had to sit next to Edwrad in bioligy. I had planned to just put my headphones in and play my music during that class, like I had all day, but Edward had other things in mind. He was a player, a man whore. I didn't want anything to do with him.

But then he started talking about music and The Rolling Stones. They were before my time, but Renee used to play them in the car all the time. I loved 'Paint it Black' but he told me that 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' was the best. I had to argue with that. It so wasn't.

Trust me. I know music.

After a few weeks, he didn't get on my nerves as much. Sure, I still ground my teeth a little around him, but over all...plus, I was friends with his little sister, Alice. She was a sophmore. We were seniors, but she had lunch with us. Edward had actually left his friends to sit with Alice and I. Shocker, I know.

We started going out in the middle of the year. He claimed he loved me with all his heart. I thought that was BS but I really did care about him. And over the years, I realized I love him. He had so much faith in me. He knew I could get that full scholarship! He was determined I would get into Yale and make my mother and brother and all my family in Tenessee proud. And you know what?

I did.

The night I got my acceptment letter, I ran straight to Edward's house. Carlisle and Esme had been on a buisness trip in California. Alice had gone with them. It was just Edward and I. We didn't plan to sleep together. It just happened. I know, these things like that don't just happen. But it felt that way.

I was so confused when I woke up in Edward's arms the next morning. I couldn't wrap my head around it. I slept with him? Really? I was so scared. What if he had a disease and didn't tell me? What if I was pregnant? He tried to calm me down, but I wouldn't listen. I screamed at him all morning. Yelled, cried, threw an absolute tantrum. At the time, I thought it was all his fault. I realized later on that I was equally responsible for the mistake.

I convinced myself it was a mistake.

I moved into Jack's apartment, afterwards. He was in his last year at Yale and I was in my first. It only made sense we lived together. After about two months, I noticed a few changes. I had started throwing up for no aparent reason and my appetite increased. I didn't think anything of it at the time. But after another whole month went by, I decided I should probably take a pregnancy test, just to rule that option out.

Little did I know that I couldn't rule it out.

Because I was. I was pregnant. When Jack got home that night I was crying so hard I couldn't tell him what happened. I could just point to the pregnancy test. He was frozen. Until finally, a minute later, he threw the test as hard as he could at the wall and ran over to hug me. I remember him whispering in my ear that things were going to be alright. That _I_ was going to be alright. Along with my baby.

We set up an appointent the next day. I was so scared, I was shaking. The docter told me I was four months along and that I was late, I should have made an apointment two months ago. When I told him that I had no idea I was pregnant, he didn't beleive me. He said that this baby had been bouncing and kicking all the time. I'm not exactly sure how I missed that.

But anyway, I was officially pregnant. The first thing Jack and I (he took me to my appointment) did was go tell my mom. Dino was home, unfortanutely. When Jack went to go to the bathroom, he called me a whore. Mom was thrilled that I was having a child and threw herself into planning. Names, clothes, furniture. Everything. We talked about everything that night.

Dino couldn't care less. He was actually mad that mom actually had something to do now, she couldn't take care of him all the time. I rolled my eyes when he pouted and stormed off in the kitchen. Jack laughed. Mom was worried though. She knew that an unhappy Dino meant an unhappy life.

My pregnancy was hell. I spent all my time writing in a diary and eating. I was a huge pig the whole time. We went through twice as many groceries. My feet were swollen, my back hurt, I was an elephant and to top it all off I couldn't work! I was a dance teacher and I couldn't exactly dance with those extra forty pounds I gained and the baby inside me.

My boss, Jolie, understood completely. She was the head ballet teacher and owned the studio. I taught ballet, hip hop and gymnastics. Renee signed me up for ballet when I was four and I've loved it ever since. I started hip hop when I was eleven and kept at it up to this point. I've always done gymnastics, my cousin LuLu taught me when I was five.

Jolie was a beautiful, french, twenty five year old woman. She knew what I was going through. She had her son by herself when she was twenty. Her son's name was Adrien, like his father. Jolie's boyfriend bailed on her before she found out she was pregnant. She didn't really love him, but they'd known each other since they were born. It was one of those relationships where everyone thought you just looked 'right' together. But Jolie always wanted her son to have some momentum of who his father was.

By my sixth month, I was humongous. Jack, who got more and more protective as my pregnancy went on, talked to my stomach a lot. He was with me so much and so over protective, people use to assume he was the father. When I would say he was my brother, they got all mixed up. It was better to just let people assume. Easier, might be a better word.

I had Lila on March 6. The best day ever, was what most people liked to say. I thought otherwise. Hell, is what it was.

The whole time, Jack held my hand. I remember cursing Edward to the pits of hell for hours. Screaming, crying. Absolute torture. I had Lila in Tenessee. I wanted her to be born there, just like Jack and I. LuLu, Jack and mom were in the room with me. LuLu was three years older then me, but she was my best friend. I mean, besides Jack. LuLu was jumping all over the place screaming with me, telling me to let it out. Mom was crying and holding the hand Jack wasn't holding. Jack was the most comforting. He held my hand and never winced once when I nearly cracked his bones.

He would murmur in my ear about how I was doing so great, that I was being so strong. I would scream at him, horrible things and he just kept on soothing me. Or attempting to sooth me. When it was finally over, LuLu screamed. She was bouncing off the walls. She was just as excited as me.

Everyone was in the waiting room, waiting for me. Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Joe, Aunt Marigold. My cousins, Rosie(fourteen), Carson (twenty seven), Delilah (seventeen), Harlie (thirteen) and Bliss (eleven). They are all those ages today, it was six years ago that I had Lila. Uncle Joe and Aunt Marigold (We called her Aunt Mari. Uncle Joe calls her goldie) are Delilah and Bliss's parents. Uncle Joe is mom's twin brother and Aunt Marigold has been mom's best friends since they were little. My Uncle Louie and my Aunt Kenzi died in a car accident when Carson was eighteen. Just old enough to be Harlie and Rosie's gaurdian. Harlie doesn't really remember her parents, she was only four when they died and Rosie was only five. But LuLu remembers, she's only two years younger then Carson. LuLu really misses her mom sometimes. It was really hard on Carson and her, raising two little girls.

But they had our help.

Everyone in my family had that Tenessee charm. LuLu had gorgeous blond curls and bright blue eyes. She had a year round tan and was absolutely hilarious. The most sarcastic, good hearted person you'll ever meet. Caron was the same. Gold curls, blue eyes. South side sun tan. Rosie had the curls, but she had brown eyes. Harlie had straight hair with blue eyes. Not much variety.

Delilah had black hair. Jet black hair and soft brown eyes. Bliss had wavy black hair and green eyes, like our grandma. Uncle Joe had the black hair, but Aunt Marigold had brown eyes. She also had golden locks. Made the goldie locks joke a little more understandable.

My mom had reddish brown hair and the most amazing blue eyes. My dad had dark brown hair and brown eyes, like me. Jack had the family curls and dad's eyes. His hair was mahoganey like mine, but mine reddened like mom's in the sun.

When I first held Lila, I saw no resemblance at all. It almost made me cry to think that she might go through life wondering where she got her eyes and where she got her hair. Even the day she was born, she had a shock of bronze hair. But as soon as everyone saw her, they were hooked. Her small cooing noises and cute little giggles. They were putty in her baby hand.

I tried to make it seem like she had grandma's eyes, but it was obvious she didn't. Grandma's eyes were dark green, like grass. Edward's were like shiny emeralds. Her hair was inevitable. I knew from the very beginning she would have his hair. It was impossible to pass. No one in the family but Jack and Renee had met Edward. So everyone was taken back by her striking penny colored hair.

In fact, no one knew that Edward Cullen was Lila's father. Jack and Renee were the exceptions, of course, along with Dino. But no one else in the family. I didn't have the heart to tell them. Bliss adores Edward Cullen's music and would hate to know that her idol was a walk out. He really wasn't, but thats how my whole family saw whoever the dad was already. I wouldn't be able to change their minds.

I never told anyone, but I was kind of offended. Dino didn't once come to see me after I had Lila. And to tell the truth, I had always kind of hoped that dad might have heard about Lila and come to see me. Dad and I used to be so close. He was practically my best friend. He did everything with me. Took me to the stables to ride horses with him, take me to the lake and used to call me his Little Bells.

I miss him so much. Not a day goes by tha I don't wonder why he left us. Him and mom didn't really get along, but that's no reason to abandon Jack and I. Jack need him. Jack was left without a guy to turn to. It was mome or me, and I was younger so I couldn't give him the help he needed when it came to his problems. He needed a male role model. I guess that's what mom thought she was giving him when she married Dino. Pretty dumb if you ask me.

As I layed there looking at my brother, I felt tears come in my eyes. I stroked his shiny, deep brown curls, softly. He had helped me so much. All my life he was there. And the one time when he really needs my help, I can't help him.

I'm the worst sister in the world.


	10. Daddy Edward

Edward Cullen

I was currently having a staring contest with a child. My child. My Lila.

Tanya had left and I wasn't sure what to say to her. Should I apoligize? Should I buy her something? Should I hug her? I hadn't a clue. I was way too new at this parenting thing.

"Lila..." I started, uneasily. "You know, I would never hit you, right?"

"How would I know?" She held her head high. "Dino hits Grandma."

She knew about that? Bella let her be around that vile man? She seemed to sense my skeptisism, so she explained.

"Dino came home early. Grandma was watching me. Mommy thought Dino would be at work, that's why she left me there. Grandma told me to up to mommy's old room, so I did. But before I got there, I saw Dino hit Grandma on the cheek. She cried." Lila explained. "Would you make me cry?"

My heart almost broke at that moment. Did she really think I would hurt her? She had been around that kind of domestic violence, so I suppose it was possible for her to beleive that. I looked into those frightened, innocent eyes and smiled. Those were my eyes. My eyes. My daughter.

It may have only been two days. But I loved my daughter. Bella warned me this would happen. I would fall for that little face in a heartbeat.

I fell for Bella in a heartbeat. And my daughter was the same way. I love Bella and Lila so much.

"Lila," She stayed quiet. "I would _never _hurt you. Ever."

"I beleive you." She murmured.

"Tanya is just a...." What did I tell her? I couldn't exactly call my ex girlfriend a bitch in front of my six year old daughter.

"A meanie? A jerkface?" She asked.

"Exactly." I nodded.

"Then why did you love her?" She seemed cutely confused.

"I didn't love her, sweetheart." I told her, softly.

"But you kissed her!" Lila accused.

"That doesn't mean you love someone." I shook my head as I said this.

She looked at me sadly. "But I kiss mommy and I love her. And Uncle Jacky and Grandma."

"You can kiss someone to show them you love them." I allowed. "But that doesn't always mean you love them or care about them."

She looked at the floor a moment before leaning over and softly kissing my cheek. I placed my hand where her lips were.

"What was that for?" I asked, touched.

"I love you. So I kissed you to show you." She explained.

Her eyes were so sad. So loving. I couldn't help but lean over and kiss her soft cheek, delicately. She smiled.

"Does that mean you love me, daddy?" She checked.

I nodded. "Yes. It does, sweetheart."

Lila Swan

Daddy loved me!

I knew that mommy loved me. And Uncle Jacky and Grandma. But I didn't know daddy loved me til right now! This was the best day ever!

My daddy loves me!

Edward Cullen

It has been about a few weeks I told Lila I loved her. Things had been good. We had gotten into a routine. But not before I really got to know her, that is.

She is a dancer. Apparently Bella teaches hip hop and ballet, so she signed Lila up for classes. Lila liked ballet a lot better. Her favorite color was yellow. She loved puppies and ponies. Her favorite food was Italian. Jack and Bella were her best friends, but she had one friend at school named Wyatt. He was nice to her and she had a crush on him aparently.

Little things like that.

It seemed to please her when I asked questions, so I asked them as much as possible. I also took to reading Bella's diary every night. There were some interesting entries.

_**November 12**_

_**I feel so bad for Jack. Today, when we went out for pizza, I ordered anchovie, pickles and pinapple. And he ate it with no complaint! He's the best brother ever. I feel so guilty. I'm making him suffer with me. But he's being so good about it all! He rubbed my shoulders for me earlier. And he goes out and buys me whatever I'm craving at any time, day or night. And he takes me to the docters every time I have an appointment. If he's this good with me, imagine how he'll be with the baby...**_

_**October 3**_

_**We found out! We found out! Mom and Jack came with me to my appointment today. I found out what the baby is! It's a girl! A girl! A girl...I can teach her how to dance....I can sing her to sleep....I can be a girl with her! I wish Edward was here for this. I know he'd be thrilled. A little girl for him to protect. **_

_**But he's not here. And it's my fault.**_

_**January 7**_

_**Jack and I were going over baby names today. Mom wants me to name her something classic, like Mary or Emily. But I'm not one for the normal names. And neither is Jack. Jack wants me to name her something pretty. Something to show her how beautiful we think she is, is what he told me. I like that idea. I haven't told anyone, but I'm thinking of naming her Charlotte. You know, after my dad. Charlie, Charlotte. Almost identical.**_

_**I really like the name Lila. Lila means night. I'm almost positive that's what I'm naming her. After all the nights I spent with Edward, singing me to sleep. It'll give me some closure about not telling him, if I know that she most definately has a small part of him with her. But I still want to name her after Alice.**_

_**Alice is the only friend I've ever had that isn't a guy. And she was my best friend. Aside from Jack, that is. But she really stood up for me. Not that I can't stick up for myself, I'm good at that. But she helped me be a girl. I spent my whole life with Jack as my hero. My biggest idol was a guy, so I was just raised to be like a guy. Jack taught me everything mom never had the chance to. Mom was into ballet and cooking and chick flicks. Jack taught me how to fix a car, how to play baseball, how to be myself.**_

_**But Alice showed me how to do something much greater. How to be crazy. Don't get me wrong, Jack and I have had some wild times...but never with shopping or make up. I remember when Alice let me do her make up. I made her look like a clown whore. She looked like she belonged in a circus. I think I'll make her middle name after Alice...but not Alice exactly. **_

_**How bout Alicia?**_

I laughed out loud when I read that. So Alice had been right. Bella really did name her after Alice.

It was nice to know she missed me. And that she wanted me to be there. I missed her too. I want to raise my child with her, so be a family. I know why she hid her from me though. Bella knew the only thing I wanted all my life was to fufill my dream. To be a star, to be famous. She didn't want Lila and her in the way. The most un selfish person in the world, is what Bella is.

I also watched a few of those videos. Let me tell you. In the first one....I was not well liked.

_Bella was on a hospital bed, in labor obviously. The docter was encouraging her, telling her to be strong. A girl with blond curls was next to her, screaming with her. Jack was on her other side, letting her squeeze his hand. He didn't wince once. Renee was next to the girl, giving Bella smiles and words of comfort_

_"I hate him!" Bella screamed. "I hope he burns in hell!" _

_"That's good, Bella, you're doing good." Jack told her. Bella screamed. The girl next to her did that same, earning a sharp scowl from Bella. _

_"You're doing great, Belle!" The girl cheered._

_"I know that, LuLu." Bella snapped. She screamed again. "Ahhhhhh!"_

_"This is so much fun!" LuLu laughed._

_"Then why don't you lay here with a needle in your back and a human being coming out of your vagina!" Bella yelled, glaring dangerously at LuLu. _

_"It'll be over soon, Bella!" Renee yelled._

_"C' mon." The docter urged. Bella screamed one more time. She was breathing heavily and sweating. Jack was smiling and the girl was laughing. A minute later, the docter came back with Lila in his arms. She handed her to Bella._

_"What are you going to name her?" LuLu asked._

_Bella smiled down at the baby, tiredly. "Lila." She murmured. The nurse chuckled._

_"I think it's time for Bella to rest." She told Jack and LuLu. "Go on and tell your family."_

_LuLu left the room, grinning at Bella. Jack kissed her forehead and walked out. Renee smiled and bruched back ehr bangs before leaving. Bella turned to the camera that was in front of her, as she hadned Lila to the nurse._

_"G'night, Edward." She murmured, before falling asleep. _

_The video switched off._

**AN: Everyone, plz keep in mind that I don't have any experience giving birth, so i don't want any complaints or corrections about what I did wrong in writing that. Please and thank you :)**


	11. Shopping Horrors

Edward Cullen

I was putting Lila to bed one night. I was about to start the lullaby, when she stopped me.

"Daddy, do you love mommy?" I froze.

What am I supposed to say? No? But that would be a lie. I love Bella with all my heart. But did Lila need to know that. I knew the answer, already. I looked into her duplicate eyes and melted. She was perfect.

"Yeah, baby. I do." I kissed her forehead and hummed her lullaby until I knew she was asleep. I played with her hair before whispering, "I'll see you in Dreamland."

Lila Cullen

I was pouting. I was sitting in my carseat in the back of Aunt Alice's car, on our way to the mall. Aunt Rose was up front, singing along to the radio. It was a dumb song about paper planes. Mommy hates that song. Aunt Alice kidnapped me. Daddy was still asleep, so she left him a note when she came and got me today. She said I needed new clothes. That wasn't true. Mommy took me shopping before I came here.

"Cheer up, Lilie!" Aunt Alice said in a sing voice.

"Lilie?" Aunt Rose asked.

"Yeah. It's called a nick name." Aunt Alice said. She was too happy!

"I don't want to go shopping!" I whined.

"Yes you do." Aunt Alice insisted.

"No I don't!" I complained, hitting my head on the window.

"Don't worry, be happy!" Aunt Alice sang to me. I groaned.

"Hey, Lila?" Aunt Rose asked, turning around to look at me.

"Yeah?" I answered in my pouty voice, picking my head up.

"What's your family like?" She asked.

"There lots of fun." I told her. I looked at Aunt Alice. "And they don't take me shopping."

Aunt Alice made a gaspy sound. "That's horrible!"

"No," I sounded scary. Hehe. "It's nice.

When we got to the stores, Aunt Alice took me to everyone. When we went into an Aunt Alice store, she took me into the dressing room so she could try stuff on, while Aunt Rose went to get me and her smoothies. Aunt Alice changed into a pretty pink dress. It didn't have straps and it went to her knees. Her legs were small like Harlie's.

She bought that dress and then went to look at shoes. She found a pair of black cowboy boots and slipped them on.

"Why are you getting those?" I asked. Aunt Alice didn't look like she would buy cowboy boots. I had cowboy boots. Everyone in my family did. **(AN: I got a lot of complaintson another site that I was stereo typing people from Tennessee. This is just Alice, needing another excuse to shop. Carry one :))**

"For when we go to Tennessee." She answered, putting them back in the box.

"Were going to Tennessee?" I asked. Yay! "Daddy didn't tell me!"

"Well, he doesn't know." She made an annoyed sound when she said that.

"Well then how do you?" I accused.

"I had a...feeling." She said, quietly. I shrugged.

Aunt Rose came back and gave me my smoothie. It was banana. Yum. She got strawberry and Aunt Alice got coconut. Ew.

I started to think about my Uncle Jacky. I haven't seen him since he got in the car bang. I hope he's okay. If he's not...I don't know what I'll do. What mommy will do. I don't think she'd be very okay. No one will be very okay. Grandma will cry...so will Gram. Gramp will be sad. Aunt Mari and Uncle Joe will be mad because that guy hit Uncle Jacky's car. Rosie, Harlie, Bliss and Delilah will be blank. That's how mommy was when she heard Uncle Jacky was in the car boom. Carson will be...what was that word?....furcos? No, no. Furious. Yeah, that's it. Furious.

Aunt Alice dragged me into a store called Aeropastle. I think Bliss shops there. Mommy always takes me to Kohls or JCpenny's. She says its easier then going all around the mall. I think she might be right. Aunt Alice bought almost everything she saw. It was scary.

"What do you think of this?" She asked, trying on a purple cowboy hat.

Aunt Rose gave her a thumbs up. I think she knows were going home too. I liked the hat on Aunt Alice. It made her hair look bluish. I told her it was pretty. She went to the hat rack and found some other cowboy hats. She said that they have to look the part for Tennessee. I didn't complain. I thought it was cool.

She bought Aunt Rose a red hat with white boots. She bought Grandma a tan, kind of white, and brown boots. She said that Grandpa, Daddy, Uncle Jazz and Uncle Emmy didn't need boots, they would look silly. So she bought them each a brown hat. Even though I have one at home, like everyone else, Aunt Alice got me a yellow cowboy hat with light brown boots. I liked it.

She bought lots of clothes. We went into Macy's to look for some clothes for me. She held a white, pretty dressy thing up.

"Do you like this?" She asked.

"Whats it for?"

"For you to wear." She looked at me funny. I shrugged. She bought it after that. We ended up with twelve bags. Each. Except, Aunt Rose carried my bags for me. I was too little, so I only carried my smoothie. Ha. Suckers.


	12. Hello, Stranger

Edward Cullen

Today I had a CD singing. I wanted so badly to take Lila with me, but I wasn't sure if Bella wanted her in the spotlight like that. Esme had been acting as my manager lately, since Tanya was out of the picture. She said to do whatever I thought was right. So today, I put Lila in the car and drove to the CD singing. What surprised everyone, including me, was that I took my Volvo.

Yes, my high school Volvo. As soon as I got in the car I was hit with memories. Bella, sitting next to me with the windows open, fiddling with the radio. Alice in the backseat, telling me to hurry up Edward, were going to be late. Bella _and_ Alice laughing their asses off when I almost hit a tree. I was the perfect driver, so the thought of hitting anything was enough to make them laugh.

"Daddy, where are we going?" Lila asked, behind me.

"To a CD signing." I answered.

"What's that?" She scrunched her nose in confusion.

"It's where I sign peoples music." I explained.

"But why would you do that?" She asked.

We were almost there and I needed to warn Lila of the paparazzi. I didn't want her completely helpless when cameras started going off in her face.

"Lila, sweetheart, there are going to be lots of cameras when we get there. Just smile, honey." I warned her. "And if they ask you anything, I'll answer."

"Okay." She chirped.

We pulled up and cameras were flashing everywhere. Everyone was asking me why I was driving a Volvo when I got out. They all went crazy when I picked Lila up out of the car and pushed my way through. my usual bodygaurd, Fabriozo, was sick with the flu and couldn't make it today. I told him not to worry, I had it covered.

Lila was smiling everywhere and people were asking her questions.

"What's your name, honey?"

"Who are you, little girl?"

"Why do you look like Edward?"

I took her inside the building, quickly. Emmett and Jasper were already there, signing some people's shirts and CD's. They all screamed when they saw me and I ducked down into the dressing room. I sighed and sat Lila on the couch. Alice and Rosalie came in, not bothering to knock.

"Yay! You brought her!" Alice shreiked.

"Tell them to take out more security. I don't want them touching Lila." I told Rosalie.

"You got it." She answered, going out to let the gaurds know.

I turned to Lila and Alice. "Lila, honey. People are going to be asking you a lot of questions and I want you to let Alice, Emmett, Jasper or Rosalie answer. Stay with Alice the whole time. Don't let go of her hand. If someone tries to touch you, scream." I instructed.

She nodded.

Once Rosalie had given us the go ahead we made our way out to the table. Huge lines of people were out front. Everyone cheered when I came out with Lila. I handed her to Alice, who went to sit beside Jasper. The people started coming to get their autographs and I was pelted with endless questions.

About thirty people into the line, one women came up and asked me to sign her daughter's CD.

"She really wanted to be here, but we had some family problems." She had southern twang that was hard to ignore. She had shiny, honey blond curls and icy blue eyes.

"I'm sorry to hear that. May I ask what happened?" I asked. This woman seemed awfully exhausted.

"My nephew was in a car accident. Everyone's pretty beat up about it. He's banged up pretty bad. Were all worried. Ecspecially his sister! Whew! She never leaves his side." The woman sighed.

"Strange. A friend of mine's brother was just in a pretty bad car accident. By any chance, are you from Tenessee?" It didn't hurt to check...

"Why yes I am. And you look familiar..." She trailed off. "I heard you got a little kid with you..."

Then out of nowhere, we heard a small cry. "Aunt Mari!"

Lila was staning next to my chair, grinning ear to ear. The woman's eyes lit up.

"Child, what are you doing here!" She cried, wrapping Lila up in her arms.

"Aunt Mari, I'm here with daddy!" Lila told her.

Mari glanced at me, uneasily. "Honey, baby, who's your daddy?

Lila laughed and turned to me. "Him!"

I didn't pay attention to the fact that everyone in the room was listening. I didn't pay attention to the fact we were on live TV. All I watched was Mari's face.

"Edward Cullen? You're Belle's ex?" Mari gasped. "Well, color me surprised."

"That's not a color, Aunt Mari!" Lila giggled.

Mari shifted Lila to her other hip. "It's an expression, honey." She murmured, eyeing me. "You know, Belle never told us who Lila's father was. I guess I can understand why."

"Trust me, when I say I had no knowledge of Lila up until now." I said. Looking up at that face, I saw something. Bella's nose. Lila's nose. That scrunched up little nose that I loved so much.

"I have no doubts about that." Mari have a small smile. "Well, Bliss is gonna have a cow when she hears about this."

"Is Uncle Jacky okay?" Lila asked, concerned now. Mari sighed softly.

"I don't know, sweetie." She had a far away look in her eyes. She turned to me, but not before setting Lila down. "Go stay with your..." She trailed off, looking at Alice.

"Aunt Alice, sweetheart." I finished. Lila nodded and went to sit on Alice's lap.

"Can we talk?" She asked.

"Certainly." I nodded, vigorously. We stepped out, to the back building. It was fairly secluded area back there. Mari sighed and sat down on the concrete steps. She was wearing a fairly large tee shirt and blue jeans. She had a tired expression on her face.

"Lordy, lordy. That girl has some explaining to do." Mari chuckled.

"Listen, Ms.-"

"Call me Mari." She told me, with a kind smile on her face.

"Mari, I'm not entirely sure why Bella sent Lila here. But I know I'm glad she did." I said, softly.

She looked me straight in the eye for a second. "You look good with her." She murmured.

"Thank you. She seems pretty comfortable with you, too." I grinned.

"Well, right before Bella had Lila, her and Jack moved back home. We've got a pretty big house. Five floors." My eyes widened. Could houses out there get that big? She laughed at my reaction. "It's a pretty old house. Been in the family a while. Well, even with all those kids running around, we still had room. Bella and Jack moved in, along with Lila. Renee wanted to be out here with her girl, but her son of a bitch husband didn't want to move out here."

"That's nice." I whispered. She looked confused. "I mean, that you all live together. That Lila has a stable home."

She smiled, faintly. "I suppose she does. I think I may know the reason Bella sent Lila out here. Bella's always wanted to tell you bout her. But she never had the chance. I know she wants you three to be a family. I can see it in her eyes. She did the right thing moving away. But I know that girl is lonely." Mari responded.

"Glad I'm not the only one." I mumbled. She gave me a warm smile.

"I think you two would be good together." She glanced at the door. "And Lila sure seems to like you."

"I love her." I murmured.

"Doesn't everyone?" She grinned.

I laughed at the truth of that question.

"Bella loves you, boy. What do you say about coming to see her?" She asked.

As much as I wanted to do that, I was scared. What if she didn't want me? What if she wanted Lila back? I'm not sure I could take that rejection again.

"I'll talk to my family about. I know my sister is dying to see Bella again." I chuckled. Alice would definately go with me. And Jasper would follow her anywhere. Rosalie would want to come to make sure her brother stayed out of trouble. And Emmett would do anything for Rosalie. Esme would come to make sure all os us behaved. And Carlisle loves Esme...

"Why don't you call me when ya'll decide?" She suggested, scribbling a number down on a peice of paper in her pocket. "I'm here on buisness. I train horses. I was looking at some Rocky Mountain Horses up in San Diego. They have a pretty good breeder up there."

"Sounds like an interesting job." I nodded. Could Lila ride a horse?

Mari smiled. She glanced at the door again. "Well, I better get going. I have a flight at seven. Call me when you decide what you're doing." She stood up. Then, she did something that surprised me. She took me in her arms. She smelled like a farm. Not in a bad way. I smelled trees and...something else. Just country I suppose.


	13. Pack It Up

When we finally went home after hours of endlessly writing my name on plastic, I put Lila to bed. It was around nine o'clock, seemed like the perfect time. After Lila was safely in her bed, I went out to the living room to talk with my family. They were all gathered around the living talking about, well, nothing. Just meaningless conversation.

I ran a hand through my hair as I sat down on the couch. Esme noticed.

"Edward, what's wrong?" She asked, placing a hand on my knee.

"Nothing, it's nothing. I just had an...interesting incounter, today." I sighed.

"With who?" Jasper asked.

"Lila's aunt." I told them.

"Why was she in L.A? I thought you said they live in the backwoods, man?" Emmett asked.

"Tennessee, yeah. Apparently she was here, buying a horse. She talked to me about going up to Tennessee to see Bella." I explained. As soon as the words left my mouth, Alice was already flying around.

"I'm coming! We'll leave tomorrow, everyone, pack!" Alice squaeled before running, and I mean _running _out of the apartment. Jasper jogged to catch up with her. As soon as we were sure she had to be in the elevator, she poked her head back in.

"Call that woman, Edward. I'm booking us a flight for six a.m. Be ready, were picking you up." With that, she went straight back out the door.

"How does she do that?" I asked myself.

"Dude, if were leaving at six, I gotta get some zzzzz's." Emmett pretended to yawn.

"You're coming too?" I asked.

"Hell yeah. Were not passing up the chance to see the love of Eddie's life!" Emmett called, leaving with his arm around Rosalie. Esme smiled softly at me.

"Let me guess- you're coming as well?"

"You bet." She told me. "C'mon, Carlisle. Time to pack." They went for the door, but not before Esme called over her shoulder. "I would pack a lot, dear! You don't know how long you'll be there. Oh, and don't forget underwear!"

I suppose I should pack for Lila and I. I walked quietly into Lila's room. It surprised me when I found her light on and her putting everything into her suitcase. It made me sort of sad. To see all her stuff thrown in a suitcase. It made me feel like she was leaving.

"What are you doing up?" I asked. She grinned. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were excited. I sat on the bed and ruffled her hair.

"I heard Aunt Alice! Were going to mommy!" Sha sang, throwing more clothes in the bag. "Is everybody coming?"

"Everyone." I nodded.

"Even Grandma and Grandpa?" She checked. I nodded again. She tossed a small pile of shirts in the bag. I chuckled.

"Need some help?" I asked, taking the clothes out of the bag. Since Alice had taken her shopping, her clothing amount had multiplied. She had three times as many clothes now. Most of them were designer. Bella wouldn't be happy about that. I began folding the clothes and placing them neatly in the suitcase. Lila copied my actions, messily.

How cute could she be?

Bella Swan

It was late. There was an empty bed that the docter's left in Jack's room for me. They knew I never left. I pushed the bed next to Jack's and flipped the small TV on. It might help me go to sleep. I flipped through the channels, aimlessly, until I found celebrity news. This stuff was pretty entertaining.

I was watching something about Madonna and adopting when they switched topics. They were talking about Edward.

"And Edward Cullen showed up at a CD signing in L.A today, with a little girl." The host/announcer said. I gasped when Lila's face appeared on the screen.

"Who do you think she is?" The co host asked.

"Word is that she's his daughter." He answered.

I switched the TV off. I never really considered the fact that Lila might be exposed to the public when I sent her to Edward. In fact, I actually didn't have to send her to Edward. I could have kept her at home. But everyday, most everyone was here. Someone would always have to stay behind and watch her. I used that as an excuse.

I wanted so badly for her to know her dad. And from the looks of it, Edward was getting along pretty well with her. I only hoped it stayed that way. I watched Jack silently. He hasn't woken up since we brought him in, five weeks ago. It's scaring me. My brother can't die. He can't be in a coma. I just might kill myself if he was.

Well, okay, I'm exaggerating. But still. I would never be the same if my big brother left me. As I thought about a coma, I started thinking about Dane Cook. He was Jack's favorite comedian. We went and saw him one time, actually. His favorite thing is when he's talking about his exaggerating girlfriend.

I remember almost all the words, because we play it all the time.

_(Italics- Girls voice)_

"_Oh my god, Dane, there was a fire down the street from my house, there was like a thousand fire fighters out there_." He had said in a girls voice. "_I got home from work today, I took like a hundred hour nap_. No you did not! You'd be very sick if you're taking hundred hour naps. Thats a coma, so you took a coma after work. I took a coma, about a hundred hours, thats a great coma."

I laughed a little to myself. It sounded hollow. I'd have to play that for him when he wakes up. We all needed a good laugh.


	14. Spit That Paste Out, Emmett!

Edward Cullen

I woke Lila up around five. I hopped in the shower and got dressed before I woke her up though. She was dressed in a pair of shorts and a yellow shirt. I threw on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt Bella got me in high school. It was still my favorite shirt. Probably because she bought it for me.

We grabbed our bags. I packed two suitcases. When Alice came and picked us up, I saw she rented a hugge SUV. She had four bags of her own in the back. Jasper had two. Emmett and Rose were already in the car. Rosalie had three bags and Emmett had one. I put Lila in her carseat and strapped her in. We picked Carlisle and Esme up. Esme had two bags and Carlisle had the same. I only packed Lila one bag, but Alice had clothes at her place she bought for her, so Lila ended up with three bags of stuff.

We checked in and got on the plane. we took up around three rows of seats. I sat on the window seat, so Lila was in between Esme and I. Carlisle sat in the row in front of us with Alice and Jasper. Rosalie and Emmett were behind Lila, Esme and I. Emmett kept kicking my seat. I fianlly turned around, an hour into the flight.

"Emmett, cut it out." I growled.

"Make me." He taunted. What was this, second grade?

I rolled my eyes and turned back around. Lila was bouncing in her seat and Esme was trying to calm her down.

"I can't sit still, Grandma! Were going to see Uncle Jacky!" Lila exclaimed.

People turned to look at us. A lot of people stared at me the whole flight. A few even got up to ask me for my autograph. One girl screamed. And then proceeded to faint. She was fine, though, she woke up a few minutes later.

What would it be like? To be in Tennessee with my Bella...she's talked about it many times before. But I've never been able to imagine it. She lived in a very small town, called Feilds. Not very original, I know, but she loved it there. She talked about a river with a waterfall and a rope swing. She told me about that old farmhouse everyone lived in. And the horses, she loved to ride. I was looking foward to seeing this town.

But not as much as I was looking foward to seeing her.

Mari told me that her husband, Joe, was picking us up. We arrived at the airport and loked all around after getting our luggage. Finally, we saw a man with a rusty old pick up truck and sign that said 'Cullen'.

"You must be the Cullens." He smiled. Lila jumped into his arms and sang "Uncle Joe!"

"Hey there, short stuff." He chuckled in a raspy voice.

"This is my daddy!" Lila grinned as she gestured towards me. Joe looked me up and down.

"Well, I can see why Bella picked you. If I were playing for the other team, I would too." He laughed. "C'mon. Don't got lots of room, ya'll will have to ride in the back." He pointed to the bed of the truck.

He had three seats in the cab of his truck. Behind the drivers seat and passenger seat, that is. Esme sat up front with himm while Rosalie, Alice and Lila sat in the back. Emmett, Jasper, Carlisle and I rode in the bed. That sure was fun. Emmett tried to push me out twice.

After about an hour in that goddamn truck, we pulled up to an old house in the middle of nowhere. It was around six and the su still hadn't gone down. I looked around gasped. It was beautiful. Gorgeous, just like Bella told me. Feilds of green grass for miles. A stable full of horses. A large, sparkling river with a small waterfall and a rope swing. And an old, huge, farmhouse right in the middle of it.

"Everyone's at the hospital. I'll show you around." Joe told us when we were on the porch. We went in the house.

Hardwood floors that creaked. Simple furniture, comfortable looking actually. It was a nice change from designer. He showed us our rooms. On the second floor was Mari and Joe's room, Renee and Dino's room along with Bella's grandparents. Esme and Carlisle stayed in the spare room on that floor. The third floor had Harlie, Bliss and Rosie. Emmett and Rosalie took the spare room on that level. Fourth floor had Carson, LuLu and Delilah. Alice and Jasper took a room down there.

Lila shot up to the highest level. She dragged me to the end of the hall.

"This is my room." She told me. The door swung open to reveal and bright yellow room. There was a twin bed in the corner and a closet across from it. The floor had a red, yellow and orange rug. There was a toybox and a doll house. Stuffed animals were located in various places.

"Do you like it?" Lila asked, looking hopeful.

"I love it." I smiled. She clapped and took me back in the hall. She pointed the rooms out for me.

"This is the potty," She pointed at the room across from hers. "This is your room," She pointed at the room next to hers. "And this is mommy's room." She pointed to the room...right across from mine.

There was another door at the end of the hall. "What's that?" I asked.

"That used to be mommy's daddy's room. Mommy doesn't like people in there." Lila explained. I nodded. That was reasonable.

"Sooo..." I trailed off.

We went down to the kitchen. Alice was bouncing up and down. "C'mon! Were going to see Bella and Jack!" She exclaimed, grabbing my hand.

"There's a problem Alice," Rosalie pointed out. "We don't have a car."

Alice grinned. "Joe said we could use Mari's Honda. It's brand new, but he trusts me."

I rolled my eyes and scooped Lila up. "I'm not allowed there." She whispered.

"They'll make an exception." I reassured her.

We drove out to the hospital in good time. It was only twenty minutes away to the nearest civilization. Once we were in the hospital, we found a huge mass of people sitting in the waiting room. Joe and Mari were with them.

"Everyone, I told you Lila's daddy was coming." Mari smiled. "This is Edward, Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Carlisle and Esme. Carlisle, as a docter, do you think you might be able t come look at Jack and give your opinion?"

"Of course." He smiled warmly at everyone before going with Mari to see Jack.

"Everyone, this is my mom and dad, Beth and Stephen. You know my wife, Mari. These are my kids, Delilah and Bliss. This is my nephew, Carson and my neices, LuLu, Rosie and Harlie. And you already know, I'm Joe. Renee is at the store and Dino is...around." He gave us a crinkly eyed smile.

Carlisle and Mari came back. "Bella was in the bathroom, so she still has no clue you're here." Mari stage whispered.

"What did you think, doc?" Stephen asked, worriedly. Lila was sitting on Beth's lap.

"Well, you know that he has a fracture in his skull, three broken ribs, a broken leg and fracuted wrist. If he hasn't woekn up, he will soon. The damage in his head isn't too bad, he's just resting it off. In my opinion, he'll be fine."

I could almost see the releif wash over their faces.

Alice tapped her foot. "Can we go see Bella and Jack now?" She asked, impatiently.

"C'mon." Mari chuckled, pulling us behind her. I picked Lila up and took her with us.

We stopped in front of a closed door that read 'Jack Swan'. I sighed.

"Here goes nothing." I opened the door. The door that would show me my fate.


	15. Reunion

Bella Swan

The door started to open, slowly. Would Aunt Mari just come in already? What's with the delayed reaction?

I turned around to see what the hold up was and met the eyes of perfection.

Esme Cullen

Look at her. She looks like she hasn't slept for days. Those rings under her beautful eyes...it breaks my heart to see the worry under those lashes. She was still as pretty as ever though. Her hair had gotten longer, it was past her waist almost. She looked a little skinnier. Not that she was fat before or anything. She was dressed like she always was. A simple black tee shirt, that looked like it might belong to Jack, and a pair of white shorts. Her hair was pulled in a messy ponytail, with strands curling in her face. She was barefoot, something that wasn't unusual.

She looked at my son like he was a god. It made me smile. They would be together again. I just knew it.

Carlisle Cullen

I had always looked at Bella like a daughter. She never had a true father figure, what with her biological one leaving so young. Dino was hardly a father. Edward told me once that he hit them. Mostly Renee, is what he said. He didn't hit Bella because she hit him back. I would've laughed at that if it weren't a serious situation.

Bella looked like she hadn't been at ease for a few weeks. She was tense and looked absolutely frantic. Until seh layed eyes on Edward. All traces of worry were gone. Things were going to be okay soon enough. I could feel it.

Alice Cullen

My best friend looks like she walked to hell and back. And brought back a soveniour. She looked like she was run over by a truck. And that outfit! I wanted to rip it off (no dirtiness intended here) and put her in stilettos, Vera Wang and Kate Spade. But I knew that wasn't going to happen...for the time being.

She looked so worried about Jack. I heard she hadn't left the room unless she had to go to the bathroom. Renee and her family brought her food and clothes. She even slept in their on a spare hospital bed. But when she saw Edward it all melted away.

I just might have a sister in Bella soon.

Jasper Hale

So this was Bella. I had to admit she was beautiful. I had Alice, but I could definately see what Edward saw in her. She looked very on the edge though. I couldn't blame her, I mean, her brother was pretty messed up.

I saw her eyes lit up when she saw Edward. Edward's eyes did the same. Maybe they really were meant to be together. Alice sure was convinced. And my Alice is never wrong...

Rosalie Hale

Hmm. Pretty enough. Seemed nice enough. But looks can be deceiving. She could be a complete and utter bitch for all I knew. But then again, Edward wasn't into the whole bitchy whore relationships...

She looks pretty messed up. I guess I would be too if Jasper or Edward was in this condition. I mean this guy looks pretty banged up. I hope he's okay. It would be horrible for Bella to lose her brother. Edward told us that they meant the world to each other...

Maybe I could be nice to this girl. I mean, if she raised Lila so well, then maybe she wasn't all bad. Maybe she wasn't any bad. Maybe she was nice. I hope she's nice. If she's not, I just might kick her ass.

Emmett Cullen

Wowzah. She's hot. Not as hot as my Rose, but still....She's hot. Eddie made a good choice. Plus, she looks like she might be fun to mess with. Not right now though. Her brother's pretty fucked up. I know not to screw with a chick when she's on edge. She'll snap, and man, she'll rip you in half.

I remember one time when Rose tried to bite me.....

Lila Swan

Was it normal for grown ups to talk to themselves? Cause I swear I just heard Uncle Emmy say something about Aunt Rose biting him...

Bella Swan

Edward fucking Cullen. Shoot me now. I didn't know he was coming. Did anyone know he was coming? Aunt Mari had that evil look on her face yesturday...but wouldn't she give a girl a warning. I look like shit! I mean, I'm only dressing for my comatose bro! Jesus....you'd think she'd give her oldest neice a break.

And what was he doing showing up here, giving me _no_ notice. None, zip, zero, zilch.

"Bella," He breathed. His voice was still smooth. Velvety if I do say so myself.

"Edward." I nodded in his direction. He frowned at my cold behavior. I felt a little bad....he took Lila in with no questions.

"I'm so sorry about Jack, Bells!" Alice cried, pushing past a muscular man to hug me. I hugged her right back.

"It's okay, Ali." I laughed. "_You_ didn't hit him with a cement truck."

Her eyes widened. "A cement truck?" She gasped. I grinned.

"Yeah, the CT 2004 **(An: I'm a loser, and felt the need to yet again, quote Dane Cook. This belongs to him, not me!)**" I said, trying to sound serious. She processed this and burst out laughing. It was an inside joke.

_I was sitting at my counter with Alice on my her laptop. We were looking at cars I could get. I was looking for something in the family of cheap._

_"What about this?" Alice asked, pointing at a used Hummer. I rolled my eyes._

_"Alice, I don't want that car because _everyone _has that car. I want something that makes me look really bad ass. Like a BA." _

_She raised an eyebrow._

_"It's short for bad ass." I explained. She rolled her eyes._

_"Be serious, Bella. We have to find you an awesome car!" Alice exclaimed._

_An idea popped in my head._

_"I got it!" I cried. "I''ll drive a cement truck!"_

_Alice snorted._

_"No, I'm serious. You can sit in the spinny thing." Her eyes widened. "Don't worry, we'll pad it. I'll toss some Jolly Ranchers in there and you can suck on those while you spin. And we can make me fifty inch spinners out of aluminum foil and oranments."_

_"That'll work." She muttered, sarcastically._

_"Don't diss the CT 2004." I warned her. This time I got the reaction I wanted- she laughed._


	16. The Fight Dun Dun Duh

Those were the good old days. I spent my time kissing Edward, hanging with Alice, avoiding Dino, talking to mom, avoiding Dino, laughing with Jack, avoiding Dino. Same old thing every day.

Sometimes I spent my days halled up in my room. Thinking about dad...aw, dad.

Alice was grinning at me. "You haven't changed much, Bella."

"I could say the same for you." I looked her up and down. "You haven't grown much."

"I think her mom was a garden gnome." Thr burly one laughed. A blond woman smacked his arm. I laughed.

"I think he might be right, Ali." I nodded. She mock glared at me.

"Bella Swan, you have some explaining to do." She waved a finger in my face.

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow.

"How could you not tell us about Lila?" She demanded.

I sighed. I seriously wasn't in the mood for chit chat.

"Can we talk...later?" I asked. "I think I might be due for a trip home."

I glanced at Jack. What if he woke up and I wasn't there? What if he asked for me and I couldn't get here fast enough? What if he needed me and I couldn't help him? Oh, wait. That already happened.

"Fair enough." Esme agreed.

To say the least, it was an awkward night filled with small talk and sideways glances. We talked about Jack, we talked a little about old times. We even said a few things about my family. Edward wasn't too happy to hear that Dino was living with us too, until Jack was out of the hospital. Mom had finally put her foot down and made him stay so she could visit her son.

Around ten, Lila was asleep in my lap, her hands around my neck. She had her face buried on my shoulder. It was adorable. I drove home with Rosie, Bliss, Carson, Harlie, Delilah and LuLu in Delilah's car. Bliss was on Rosie's lap and Carson had Harlie on his. They were talking my ear off about Edward.

"He was cute, Bella!" Harlie cried when we were in the car.

"Why the hell did you let him go?" Rosie demanded.

Carson shot her a look. "Language." He warned. Rosie rolled her eyes.

"But seriously, why?" She demanded.

I sighed.

"Spill, Bells." LuLu ordered, loudly. Lila stirred in her sleep. I made a shushing noise at my closest blond cousin and sighed again.

"Fine," I mumbled. "We slept together senior year and I ended up pregnant with Lila. I was mad. I was convinced it was all his fault that we weren't...safe," I had to phrase this properly, Bliss was in the car. "And so I left him, Plus, he had his music. He wanted to be on top."

Delilah waggled her eyebrows at me. LuLu smacked her arm and Delilah giggled.

"Shut up, Del. Top _of the charts_." I hissed, eyeing Bliss. I knew she knew what sex was, but she didn't need to be around Del's nasty mind.

"So, basically, you were stupid and dumped the hottest guy on earth." Harlie stated. Carson rolled his eyes. Sometimes I felt bad that he was surrounded by girls. Now was one of those times.

Sometimes I worried about Carson. He needed to find himself a girlfriend.

"Typical Belle." LuLu sighed. It was my turn to roll my eyes. They made me seem like I was some man hater who made a cross with her fingers everytime a guy walked by.

"Are you getting back together?" Delilah asked, turning around. She was sitting up front, while Lulu drove. Carson was next to me with Harlie and Rosie sat next to him with Bliss.

"I don't know." I growled. I didn't want to talk about this. The truth was, I would give anything to be a family with Lila and him. I was afraid he didn't want that.

"Perk up. Were almost home." Harlie ordered.

"Bella, just remember. Confidence is key." LuLu instructed. "But we know you have plenty of that."

"Damn right she does." Delilah agreed.

"Del!" Carson hissed. "Lissbay niay arcay."

"You know Del doesn't understand pig latin, Sonny." Rosie huffed, turning to explain to Del. "Bliss in car."

"Oh," Delilah nodded. "I knew that."

"Yeah, right." Rosie rolled her eyes. Delilah turned around and stuck her tongue out.

"Watch the road." Carson ordered. Delilah complied.

Carson grew up at a young age. He was always responsible. He has his moments where he just cuts loose and parties, but that was rare. He was almost always sober. He was our designated driver, for when we actually drove the half an hour to civilazation.

We arrived home a moment later. I took a deep breathe and handed the sleeping Lila to LuLu. Just then, Edward and his family pulled up in Aunt Mari's car. I took another breath.

Edward stepped out. Keep in mind, I've grown up since senior year. I'm still crazy and confident. I speak my mind. I'm myself. Me, myself and I. But I'd matured. I was a mother for gods sake. I had to have some sense. I had toned my demanding, hard core self down after I had Lila. But when I saw him, high school me popped up for a visit. I didn't know what happened. I grabbed his hand and dragged him up to my room.

I heard LuLu putting Lila to bed. I stared Edward down. I was standing in the middle of my room, and Edward stood in front of the closed door. He finally blinked.

"Bella..." He sighed.

"Edward." I murmured. He knew this voice. My anticapating voice. He knew something was on it's way. But he couldn't tell if it was good or bad. He couldn't in high school and he can't now.

Silence.

"Why?" He finally blurted out.

"Why what?" I demanded, crossing my arms.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He growled. Frustration was definately in Edward's vocabulary.

"I believe I did. About five weeks ago." He hated when I did this. Screwed with his head.

Edward Cullen

Goddammit! I hate it when she messes with my head like this. It was so annoying. But that was just part of what made Bella, Bella.

"Why didn't you tell me when she was born?" I asked.

"I did tell you. March 6th." She answered. Damnit!

"You know what I mean." I scowled at her perfectly flawless face.

She glared right back

"What did you want me to say, Edward?" She snapped. "'Sorry, Edward. You'll have to kill that stupid music dream because were having a baby.'? I was already pissed at you! I wasn't crawling back just because I was knocked up!"

"Did you ever think about how that might affect me? Or Lila?" I growled.

"You don't know a damn thing, Edward. You honestly think I didn't consider how this would affect my daughter? If I had told you about her, she'd be in the spotlight all the damn time! I didn't want all that pressure on her." She exclaimed.

"Pressure? What pressure?" I snorted. "She'd be spoiled rotten. She'd have a much better life then she does here." Oh my god. I really was a jerkface.....

Bella looked like she's been slapped in the face. She recovered quickly.

"Don't you dare tell me I'm not raising my kid right!" She yelled. "She has a loving family. Anything wrong there? No. She has a gorgeous house, filled with loving family members. Everything's on the up and up there! Enlighten me, Edward! What did I do wrong?"

"You never told me about her!" I yelled. "I would've loved to know about my kid, Bella! You know that! You know me!"

"I know you better then anyone! That's exactly why I didn't tell you!" She screamed.

"That makes no sense!" I pinched then bridge of my nose.

"Yes it does!" She shreiked. "I know exactly what it would've been like. You would never be home, you'd have girls and paparazzi all over the fucking country looking for you and Lila and I would've been left in the dust. I did what was best for my daughter."

"Are you sure it was best for Lila and not best for you?" I demanded. Oh shit, she's gonna hit me!

She looked like she'd had it. "For fucks sake, Edward, shut the hell up! I'm done with this shit! I'm done putting up with all your shit! I can't take it! You're a fucking asshole! I hate it! If you must know, it was best for me too! I couldn't sit back and watch girls throw themselves at you! It would kill me!"

I rolled my eyes. "That's a shit excuse, Bella. It wouldn't kill you. You never even cared about me. All you ever wanted was another sucker to drag into your fucked up world."

"Screw you, Edward!" She screamed.

"I don't have to! You already did!" I yelled.

"Fuck this! Everything I did was for Lila and you. Not a fucking day goes by that I don't wish you were here! That Lila had a real dad! Someone to keep the boys away, someone to life her on their shoulders! I never had that. Ten fucking years was my maximum. From then on it was hell. Hell in the form of Dino! You don't know shit about me, Edward! I trusted you and look where it got me!" She screeched.

"Are you trying to tell me that you're hurt? That all this time, you really loved me? You needed me?" I demanded.

"Well, would you look at that. Your big head has ears now, huh?" I think I saw tears in her eyes. Did I make her cry?

"You were too busy being a drama bitch to notice." I snapped.

"You hurt me, Edward!" She cried.

"So the truth comes out." I chuckled, dryly. "And all this time I thought Bella Swan could handle everything. She goes around screaming and yelling and screwing the world, when really she's hurting. Well, fuck that! You hurt _me_, Bella. Keeping my daughter from me. Do you know how many night I spent thinking about you? Where you were, what you were doing, who you were with. Little did I know you were trapsing around with a baby! I don't care if your father left you for dead! I don't care if your stepdad beats the shit out of your mom! I don't fucking care that your brother's going to die! I care about Lila! And that's all."

She was crying now. Tears were gushing down her cheeks and I wanted to take back all I'd said.

"What do you want me to say? Sorry for looking out for you? Sorry for protecting my daughter?" She demanded, choking back her sobs.

"I want you to say sorry for keeping her from me. I would've helped. I really honestly, would have! You had no right hiding her! You had no right! You call it protecting her? I call it screwing her! You fucked her up, Bella! You kept her from having a father. You thought you were protecting me? Well, you weren't. Not in the least. If you want to say sorry, say sorry for something guinuine." I growled.

She let her tears flow freely down her cheeks now. She let silence fill the room before finally whispering,

"I'm sorry for falling in love with you."


	17. Big Bella's Don't Cry

Lulu Swan (listening to the fight)

"You don't know a damn thing, Edward. You honestly think I didn't consider how this would affect my daughter? If I had told you about her, she'd be in the spotlight all the damn time! I didn't want all that pressure on her." Bella exclaimed.

"Pressure? What pressure?" He snorted. "She'd be spoiled rotten. She'd have a much better life then she does here."

Oh fuck. What a fucking jerk!

I looked at Rosie. She looked POed. I know I was. Delilah looked like she wanted to rip his face off. Harlie was glaring at the ceiling and holding something black to her stomach. What the fuck was that thing? And we took damn good care of Lila. Everyone was huddled in the fourth floor hallway, listening to the fight upstairs. It was almsot as if there voices were so loud, the raddled the walls. I don't think they were even trying to keep it down.

"Don't you dare tell me I'm not raising my kid right!" Bella yelled. "She has a loving family. Anything wrong there? No. She has a gorgeous house, filled with loving family members. Everything's on the up and up there! Enlighten me, Edward! What did I do wrong?"

Oh shit, Bella! You go! Ha! Loving family! Beat that, Mr. Famous Pants.

"You never told me about her!" He yelled. "I would've loved to know about my kid, Bella! You know that! You know me!"

"I know you better then anyone! That's exactly why I didn't tell you!" She screamed.

"That makes no sense!" He growled at her. Bite him, Bella!

"Yes it does!" She shreiked. "I know exactly what it would've been like. You would never be home, you'd have girls and paparazzi all over the fucking country looking for you and Lila and I would've been left in the dust. I did what was best for my daughter."

"Are you sure it was best for Lila and not best for you?" He demanded.

Oh fuck. I hope she punches that loser right in his fucking eye. See how that fucker likes a black eye. Carson ran up the stairs to go get Lila. She had to have woken up by now.

Carson Swan

"Are you sure it was best for Lila and not best for you?" He demanded.

Who did this mother fucker think he was?

I opened the door to Lila's room. She was sitting up in her bed and clutching the teddy bear Jack bought her when she was born. I sat on the bed beside her and hugged her tightly. She shouldn't have to hear this screaming.

"For fucks sake, Edward, shut the hell up! I'm done with this shit! I'm done putting up with all your shit! I can't take it! You're a fucking asshole! I hate it! If you must know, it was best for me too! I couldn't sit back and watch girls throw themselves at you! It would kill me!"

I could just picture that SOB rolling his eyes at her. "That's a shit excuse, Bella. It wouldn't kill you. You never even cared about me. All you ever wanted was another sucker to drag into your fucked up world."

"Screw you, Edward!" She screamed.

"I don't have to! You already did!" He yelled. Oh my damn. He did not just fucking say that.

"Fuck this! Everything I did was for Lila and you. Not a fucking day goes by that I don't wish you were here! That Lila had a real dad! Someone to keep the boys away, someone to lift her on their shoulders! I never had that. Ten fucking years was my maximum. From then on it was hell. Hell in the form of Dino! You don't know shit about me, Edward! I trusted you and look where it got me!" She screeched.

"Are you trying to tell me that you're hurt? That all this time, you really loved me? You needed me?" He demanded.

"Well, would you look at that. Your big head has ears now, huh?" I could hear her gasping for breath. She must be crying. Oh shit.

"You were too busy being a drama bitch to notice." He snapped.

"You hurt me, Edward!" She cried. A tear rolled down Lila's cheek. I covered her ears and pulled her closer onto my lap. This was going to scar her....

Harlie Swan

"So the truth comes out." He laughed like my cousins pain was funny. Screw him. "And all this time I thought Bella Swan could handle everything. She goes around screaming and yelling and screwing the world, when really she's hurting. Well, fuck that! You hurt _me_, Bella. Keeping my daughter from me. Do you know how many night I spent thinking about you? Where you were, what you were doing, who you were with. Little did I know you were trapsing around with a baby! I don't care if your father left you for dead! I don't care if your stepdad beats the shit out of your mom! I don't fucking care that your brother's going to die! I care about Lila! And that's all."

I was so glad I had thought to record this. I had the tape recorder pressed to my stomach as I stared at the ceiling. I needed to show Jack this peice of shit when he was better. He needed to kill this moron.

"What a fucking bastard." I heard LuLu gasp next to me. Rosie was swearing under her breath. Renee looked like she might cry. Dino and her had walked in the door a minute before the fight started and we all went up to listen. Dino looked like he was enjoying this. I rolled my eyes as he tried to get a better angle so he could hear better.

I ran up the stairs. I stood right outside the door, trying to catch what she would say next. They screamed a few other insults until finally I heard Bella mumble,

"I'm sorry for falling in love with you."

Ouch.

Alice Cullen

He was so stupid. No wonder Bella ditched his sorry ass. It made me sick to even hear his voice. I was hiding in Jasper's chest as we all stood and listened to the hell upstairs. Rosalie and Emmett were hanging on to every word like it was a movie. Esme looked horrified and Carlisle looked like he was in pain just listening.

"What do you want me to say? Sorry for looking out for you? Sorry for protecting my daughter?" Bella demanded, choking back her sobs.

"I want you to say sorry for keeping her from me. I would've helped. I really honestly, would have! You had no right hiding her! You had no right! You call it protecting her? I call it screwing her! You fucked her up, Bella! You kept her from having a father. You thought you were protecting me? Well, you weren't. Not in the least. If you want to say sorry, say sorry for something guinuine." He growled.

I could hear her hushed sobs now. Edward would pay for this later.

Lila Swan

It was just a whisper. I don't think anyone else heard it. But I did. Plain as day.

"I'm sorry for falling in love with you."


	18. Wake Up Call

Bella Swan

I bolted down the stairs after I said that. Edward stood there like he was paralyzed until I pushed past him. When I was down the first flight of stairs, everyone was waiting with open arms. I pushed Rosie and Alice out of the way and made my way down the other stairs and out the front door. I was barefoot. I didn't care.

I ran. Faster then I think I ever have before. I ran all the way to the hospital. I swung the door open and the receptionist, Mrs. Taylor, an elderly kind woman, saw me and gasped.

"Bella, dear, what happened?" She breathed, rushing over to me.

"I need to see Jack." I sobbed. She nodded and left me to run down the halls to my big brothers room. He lay theres still and almost lifeless. It broke my heart to see him so helpless. I fell to my knees on the floor and I sobbed. I needed him so much. He was my lifeline.

I used to be so close to my dad. I never understood why he left. But when he did, I turned to Jack for comfort. No one had the same feelings about then Jack. Mom was hurt, but in a different way. She had a walkaway husband. We had a walkaway father. It was completely different. Jack helped me recover from all my pain. He became my best friend. I turned to him for everything. I thought I might die when he went away to college and mom re married.

"Jack," I sobbed. "Please, plese, wake up. Wake up for me. Please, Jack! I need you!"

There was a puddle on the floor from my tears. I went on anyway, begging him to wake up and save me from this hell.

Jack Swan

There were colors. Shapes and colors. This confused me. It had been a black abyss for weeks now. Why was it lively now? I felt presences around me constantly. I learned to tell the difference between people. I knew that Bella never left. Sometimes I heard her talking to me. Telling me it was going to be okay, like I'd done with her so many times before.

This presence was different. I knew it was Bella. But it wasn't the same Bella. She was hurt. The colors started swirling, making something of a clear hole. Like an opening to the world outside my mind. I listened closely, until I fianlly heard sovs coming from below me.

"Jack," The voice sobbed. "Please, plese, wake up. Wake up for me. Please, Jack! I need you!"

It was Bella. Why was she so sad? I wanted to move my hand to wipe away the tears, but I couldn't find the strength. My head hurt like a bitch, but I pushed that thought aside. I was becoming a lot more coherant.

"Jack!" Bella cried. "I need your help! Why won't you take up and help me dammit?"

I wanted to help her. I really did.

"Jack, I love Edward so much. He doesn't care, Jack. He told me I was a bitch, that I was selfish for keeping Lila from him. I love him, Jack. Help me." She was gasping to catch her breath.

I always knew she loved him. You could see it in her eyes. It was obvious, really. But I never dared to point it out. It would upset her, like now. I hadn't heard Bella this broken since dad up and left. It broke me heart to hear her so helpless. She needed me.

The whole to the world was getting bigger. The colors around it were getting duller and duller. There was an eerie glow. Lika a faint light behind the whole. Like something was blocking the whole still, and light was streaming through. I then realized something.

I could open my eyes.

It took a little effort but my eyes finally budged. I squinted at the bright lights above me. Where was I? I looked at myself. Damn. I was messed up. Broken leg, broken arms...headache, heart pain. It felt like something shot me all over my body.

It was all coming back to me. That dumbass hitting the back of my car, sending me flying into that RV. Glass flying everywhere, going unconcious. Oh shit. I was in the hospital. I heard muffled cries beneath me.

I looked down. Bella was on her knees, her arms wrapped around herself, keeping it together. She was crying to the floor and mumbling to herself. Something about waking up. Oh, yeah. She didn't know I _did_ wake up. This just might be a good time to tell her.

I wanted to say something cool. Like something very movie star-esque. Something memorable. But all I could muster was a simple and forgetable,

"Cheer up, Bellerina."

Her head shot up like a rocket. I wanted to laugh but my throat was sore. It didn't help that she practically screamed bloody murder before she jumped me. I really did laugh this time. It hurt my throat.

A nurse came scrambling in, franitcally. Her eyes turned soft when she saw my open lids.

"Docter Stewart!" She called out the door. I heard footsteps.

"Linda, what is the matter?" A man's voice asked. "I heard someone scream bloody murder in there."

Linda grinned. "Jack's awake."

The door opened all the way and exposed an old man with glasses and a small beard. His eyes widened when he saw me.

"Well, I'll be damned. You woke up." He gasped.

"Jack Swan doesn't die without a fight." I grinned, coughing slightly. "Plus, I had some people who weren't quite ready for me to go."

Bella hugged me tighter. I couldn't breath.

"Loosen the grip, Tiger." I gasped. She stepped away, tears fresh in her eyes. She turned to Linda.

"Call my family. Tell them to get down here now." She ordered, sniffling.

"You got it." Linda chirped.

In between the doc running a few tests and asking me some memory questions, I turned to Bella.

"Something happened." I stated. She seemed surprised.

"So you could hear me." She murmured, looking grateful. I nodded. She sighed, looking at her feet.

"I sent Lila to Edward, when you got in the accident." I could practically hear my eyes widen "I wanted Lila to know her father. This was five weeks ago. Him and his family came here tonight to see me. Edward and I got in a huge fight. He told me he didn't care about my shitty life."

Oh sweet jesus. These kids were looking to kill me.

"Bellerina." She looked up at me through wet lashes. "That boy loves you."

"He told me all he cared about was Lila and that I was a bad mother." She told me, sadly.

I sighed. "Belle, you have a habit of getting people fired up. I think you just might have urged him into saying that."

"Why would I _want _him to say that?" She demanded.

"I didn't say you wanted him to say that. I said you pushed him into saying that. You have force, Belle. And trust me, you use it without knowing." I explained, softly.

"I guess I do, don't I?" She mumbled. I chuckled.

"Just a little." I answered. This was when mom decided she would bust down the door in a flurry of tears. She had perfect timing, I'll give her that.

"Oh, baby!" She cried, throwing her arms around me. The whole family filed into the room. There was actually a line to come and hug me. Dino stayed very far away from this line, let me tell you. But it didn't surprise me. I could play his game. What did surprise me was the little fairy looking girl that came up hugged me. I knew those eyes...

"Well, I'll be. Alice Cullen." I laughed.

"The one and only." She giggled.

I noticed a few people behind her. "Who're your friends?"

"Oh! Jack, this is my boyfriend, Jasper. Thats his sister, Rosalie and her fiance Emmett." Alice chirped. Emmett waved. Rosalie smiled. Jasper laughed.

"You're one lucky guy." I told Jasper.

"Oh, I know." He wrapped an arm around her. Awwww. I wasn't gay or anything, but seriously. That was a moment.

"And you remember Carlisle and Esme." She gestured towards the older couple.

"I sure do." I grinned. "How many lives have you saved since I last saw you, Carlisle? Thirty, forty?"

"Forty sounds about right." He joked. He was an easy to get along with guy.

Everyone sat in a very awkward silence for a minute, before Linda came in the room.

"I'm afraid some of you will have to leave. Only three visitors at a time." She told them. They grumbled, but left nonetheless. Bella didn't though. Neither did mom. They both sat on either side of me, talking softly.

"So...." I trailed off, keeping my eyes fixed on Bella. She looked down. I turned to mom with a pleading look.

"Can you let me talk to Bella...alone?" She nodded, brushing my hair back and left the room. I gave my attention back to Bella.

"You need to talk to Edward." I told her. She shook her head.

"I can't." She insisted. "I tried to talk to him last night and look where it got me."

"You have to keep trying, Belle." I said. Where was my baby sister? I coughed slightly when I finished saying this.

"I'll get you some water." Bella jumped up and ran down the hall to get me some water. She just wanted to get away from my questions. I heard the door creak. Wow, she was fast. I looked, expecting to find Bella. No. It was Harlie.


	19. Making Up Or Making Trouble?

"Jack, I have to show you something." She whispered, setting something up on the table next to my bed. She ran and closed the door, locking it behind her. "I got Rosie to distract Bella."

"What's going on with her? She told me her and Edward got in a fight. So what?" I asked. Maybe Harlie had some answers...

"I don't think you realize how bad that fight was." She sighed. I realized the thing on my table was a tape recorder. She hit play.

_Italics- Recorded fight_

_"What did you want me to say, Edward?" She snapped. "'Sorry, Edward. You'll have to kill that stupid music dream because were having a baby.'? I was already pissed at you! I wasn't crawling back just because I was knocked up!"_

_"Did you ever think about how that might affect me? Or Lila?" Edward growled._

_"You don't know a damn thing, Edward. You honestly think I didn't consider how this would affect my daughter? If I had told you about her, she'd be in the spotlight all the damn time! I didn't want all that pressure on her." She exclaimed._

"_Pressure? What pressure?" He snorted. "She'd be spoiled rotten. She'd have a much better life then she does here."_ Holy shit. What a little...

_"Don't you dare tell me I'm not raising my kid right!" She yelled. "She has a loving family. Anything wrong there? No. She has a gorgeous house, filled with loving family members. Everything's on the up and up there! Enlighten me, Edward! What did I do wrong?"_

_"You never told me about her!" He yelled. "I would've loved to know about my kid, Bella! You know that! You know me!"_

_"I know you better then anyone! That's exactly why I didn't tell you!" She screamed._

_"That makes no sense!"_ He screamed at her. Well, actually it makes ton of sense.

_"Yes it does!" She shreiked. "I know exactly what it would've been like. You would never be home, you'd have girls and paparazzi all over the fucking country looking for you and Lila and I would've been left in the dust. I did what was best for my daughter."_

_"Are you sure it was best for Lila and not best for you?" He demanded._ Oh fuck, I hope she slapped him! I know she'd had it with his shit.

_"For fucks sake, Edward, shut the hell up! I'm done with this shit! I'm done putting up with all your shit! I can't take it! You're a fucking asshole! I hate it! If you must know, it was best for me too! I couldn't sit back and watch girls throw themselves at you! It would kill me!"_

_He laughed. "That's a shit excuse, Bella. It wouldn't kill you. You never even cared about me. All you ever wanted was another sucker to drag into your fucked up world."_

_"Screw you, Edward!" She screamed._

_"I don't have to! You already did!" He yelled._ Don't you talk about my sister like that! I looked at Harlie. She looked pissed, just listening to this.

_"Fuck this! Everything I did was for Lila and you. Not a fucking day goes by that I don't wish you were here! That Lila had a real dad! Someone to keep the boys away, someone to life her on their shoulders! I never had that. Ten fucking years was my maximum. From then on it was hell. Hell in the form of Dino! You don't know shit about me, Edward! I trusted you and look where it got me!" She screeched._

_"Are you trying to tell me that you're hurt? That all this time, you really loved me? You needed me?" He demanded._

_"Well, would you look at that. Your big head has ears now, huh?"_ I heard sobbing. Did that kid make her cry? Belle never cries...

_"You were too busy being a drama bitch to notice." He snapped._

_"You hurt me, Edward!" She cried. _

_"So the truth comes out." He chuckled, dryly. "And all this time I thought Bella Swan could handle everything. She goes around screaming and yelling and screwing the world, when really she's hurting. Well, fuck that! You hurt me, Bella. Keeping my daughter from me. Do you know how many night I spent thinking about you? Where you were, what you were doing, who you were with. Little did I know you were trapsing around with a baby! I don't care if your father left you for dead! I don't care if your stepdad beats the shit out of your mom! I don't fucking care that your brother's going to die! I care about Lila! And that's all."_

I knew she was crying now. I could hear her gasping. No wonder she was so torn up last night. That hurt me too. I mean, Bella was me in a female form....we practically had the same brain.

_"What do you want me to say? Sorry for looking out for you? Sorry for protecting my daughter?" She demanded, choking back her sobs._

_"I want you to say sorry for keeping her from me. I would've helped. I really honestly, would have! You had no right hiding her! You had no right! You call it protecting her? I call it screwing her! You fucked her up, Bella! You kept her from having a father. You thought you were protecting me? Well, you weren't. Not in the least. If you want to say sorry, say sorry for something you mean." He growled._

All you could hear was her cries. Until finally, you heard very softly,

_"I'm sorry for falling in love with you." _

"Shit." I whispered after a minute of quiet. Harlie looked up at me.

"You could hear it for miles." She mumbled.

"Sounds like it." I agreed.

"It hurt her pretty bad." She told me.

"When she came in here last night....she was crying...I thought maybe she was overreacting.....but now." I couldn't even finish.

"I understand." Harlie murmured. All of a sudden there was a soft knock at the door. Harlie mumbled something about a moment and privacy before opening it. There stood someone I wanted to hate. But I didn't. Becuase he had a point.

Edward came in, looking a little nervous. He should be. Harlie made her exit, shooting me look before she went. I noticed she rewinded the tape somewhat. Oh. I get it. She was helping me.

"Listen, Jack-"

"You hurt her." I stared at him, coldly. He sighed.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I swear I didn't mean any of the things I said."

"You know, studies show that people tend to let the truth come out when their mad." I said, casually.

"Please hear me out, Jack." He pleaded. I couldn't say no to Lila's eyes.

"Fine. You have one minute." I answered.

"Jack, I was furious with Bella for keeping Lila from me. But I still loved her. I was just so mad last night....I said some things I shouldn't have said. And I apoligize." He hung his head.

He sounded sincere. But he was an actor.....or was he a musician? Memory was still a selective thing...

"You might want to tell Belle that. She came in here last night heartbroken. She thinks you hate her." I explained. He looked surprised.

"She thinks _I _hate _her? _She hates me! I love her!" He exclaimed.

I glanced at the tape. I might as well wing it. "This might say otherwise." I clicked play.

_"I don't care if your father left you for dead! I don't care if your stepdad beats the shit out of your mom! I don't fucking care that your brother's going to die! I care about Lila! And that's all."_

Oh, perfect! Perfect spot!

He looked shocked. "I said that?" He gasped.

I nodded, grimly. He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can't beleive I said that." He muttered.

"Well, beleive it." I told him. "She's confused."

"I would be too if someone said that to me!" Edward sighed.

"So were on the same page." A voice rang out from the doorway.

Bella stood there with my water, with a blank face. Edward looked embarassed.

"I would leave, but," I looked at my IV "I'm kind of stuck."

Bella smiled a little. "Edward, come with me." Edward followed Bella out to the hall. Yes, I can still hear them!


	20. Hallway Talks and Father Mafia

Edward Cullen

Bella stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned to face me. She looked expectant. Oh. she was waiting for me to say something.

"Bella, I'm sorry." I breathed. She sighed.

"I heard you and Jack talking. I know." She explained.

"I can't beleive I said any of those things." I told her.

"Well, you did. And it hurt." She snapped.

"I know. And I'm sorry." I was pleading with my eyes. She was silent for a suspenseful half a second before asking,

"Do you really love me?"

"Without a doubt." I grinned. I knew where this was going...

She looked doubtful. "Do you promise?' She demanded.

"I swear." I placed a hand in the air, the official boy scout honor. She snorted. Her face turned soft though.

"I'm sorry too. For everything. You were right." She mumbled. I smiled. She was never good at apoligizing.

"I always am." She playfully smacked my shoulder. "And I know you are. You should be. But I forgive you." I answered. She looked up at me, grinning.

"I love you too, you know." She said, casually.

"Do you now?" I laughed, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Yes, I do." She giggled.

Then I did something I've been dreaming of for years. I kissed her. A thousand memories came rushing back, and it was like we'd never been apart. We were always together in some form. I knew it.

When we broke apart, she was smiling.

"I've been waiting for that." She told me.

"So have I." I smiled. She tucked her head in my neck. Just like old times.

Bella Swan

We walked back into Jack's room, hand in hand. While we were out, Mom and Dino went in. Well, mom dragged Dino in.

Mom looked surprised to see my hand in Edward's. "What's going on you two?" She asked, suspiciously.

"Oh, nothing." I said, lightly.

She snorted. "Yeah, right."

Dino was glaring at me from across the room. When mom wasn't looking, and Edward and Jack were, I flipped him the bird. He gave it to me right back. Loser, I thought, as I rolled my eyes. Stupid Italian Loser.

"How's you holding up, Jack?" Edward asked. It was like yesturday never happened.

"I'm doing okay. It could be worse." He laughed, hoarsely. "When am I gonna get to see my neice?"

I laughed. "I'll go get her."

We had used Edward's fame appeal to get Lila in. Now the docters didn't even question us, they had saw Lila on TV and knew who her father was. Word had gotten around that Edward Cullen was in Tennessee though. Planes of people have been coming in. But no one expects him to be in this little town. Luck was on our side.

Lila was sitting on Carson's lap in the waiting room. Rosie and Delilah were sitting there looking through a magazine. LuLu was getting something to eat in the cafeteria with Aunt Mari. Uncle Joe, Grandma and Grandpa were at the house, getting Jack some stuff. When Lila saw me, she jumped up and scrambled over. "Mommy!" She cried, jumping into my arms.

"Lila!" I exclaimed back, twirling her around. She giggled.

"I didn't get to see you that much yesturday." She pouted. "Is Uncle Jacky awake?"

I turned to Carson. "You didn't tell her?"

"I did, she just doesn't beleive me." He grinned. I loved Carson's voice. It had the perfect southern touch.

"Yeah, he's awake. Wanna go see him?" I asked. She nodded.

We went to Jack's room in a hurry. We raced there, Lila won. Well, okay, I let her win. But still. I made her think she beat me fair and square. It was cute to see her dance around in victory. Dino rolled his eyes when she danced into the room and muttered something about 'Stupid Americans...'

Yeah, well he was a stupid Italian.

"Uncle Jacky!" Lila yelled. She bolted for his bed, but Edward sweeped her up. She pouted. "I wanna see Uncle Jacky!"

"You can see him. You just can't touch him. He might get hurt." Edward warned her. She sighed. It made her sound just like Edward.

"I think I can handle a six year old, Eddie." Edward glared at the nick name. He _hated_ when people called him Eddie. His name was Edward, as he constantly reminded people.

Lila squealed and launched herself into Jack's waiting arms. He winced as she sat on his bandaged ribs, but he brushed it off. He was such a good uncle. Lila smiled and played with his hair. She loved the way his brown curls bounced when she pulled them. It made Edward laugh to see her so absorbed in something as simple as that.

Dino glared at Lila. It made me mad. Why the hell was he glaring at her?

"Hey, Father Mafia." I snapped. Dino hated my nickname for him. "Quit giving my kid those looks."

Edward Cullen

"Hey, Father Mafia!" Bella snapped. Dino's head shot up. "Quit giving my kid those looks."

"I'll look at the little devil however the fuck I want, you little whore." Dino growled, his accent prominent.

Jack covered Lila's ears and scowled at Dino. "Don't you dare call my sister a whore." He hissed. He looked at me for support, considering he couldn't do much hands on work. He was kind of broken.

"Get the fuck out of this room, _Dino," _I sneered at his name, "Better yet, get the fuck out of their lives."

Dino stood up and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Renee looked worriedly around. Bella had her head in her hands. Jack was holding Lila's ears still, in case someone said something. I just stared at my Bella.

Until Renee burst into tears.

Bella rushed over to her and let her cry on her shoulder. Bella rubbed circled on her back, telling her it was okay.

"He's not touching you." Jack snapped. Wait, he knew about the abuse now? Bella sensed my confusion.

"I told him." She murmured as Renee sniffled into her shoulder.

"I'll kill him." Jack hissed. Renee let out another sob.

"You can't do much damage, Jack. You're stuck to this bed." Bella reminded him. Jack 'hrumph'ed and hugged Lila closer.

"I'll kick him for you, Grandma." Lila offered, softly. This made more tears fall from Renee's eyes.

"My own grandbaby can stick up for herself, when I can't." She mumbled. Bella patted her back and Jack smiled sadly.

"Mom, just leave him." Bella told her, quietly.

"It's not that easy, Bella." Renee answered, looking towards the ground.

"It doesn't sound too complicated." Bella argued.

Renee sniffled and looked up at her daughter with watery eyes. "Bella, I'm scared."

Bella pulled Renee in for a tight hug. Jack looked at me and mouthed 'Chick Moment'. I chuckled, silently, and nodded.

"There's nothing to be scared of. Just file for divorce." Jack made it sound too easy.

"But he'll find out and....." Renee trailed off, shuddering and hudling closer to Bella.

"You're in a house full of people, Renee. You'll be fine." I assured her. She didn't look very convicnced.

"If you say so...." She looked at all of us. "I've wanted to leave for the longest time."

"Well, here's your chance." Bella smiled.

"We'll protect you." Jack added. I nodded in agreement. Renee smiled through her tears.

"Where would I be without you guys!?" She cried, pulling all of us in for a hug. We laughed nervously, becuase to tell the truth.....

She would probably be dead.


	21. The Swan Family Inquisition

We went home that night in good moods. Dino hadn't come home and probaby wouldn't be home til late. Renee slept in Mari and Joe's room just to be safe. Mari and her where asleep in there and Joe was asleep on the couch. The Grandparents were sound asleep, along with Lila, Carlisle and Esme. The rest of us were lounging on the large front porch in the moonlight.

"How did you guys meet?" Delilah asked, swinging on the porch swing lazily. They had been pestering Bella and I with questions for the past hour.

"School." I answered.

"We need more then that." Harlie scoffed, rolling her eyes. Rosie and Rosalie nodded in agreement. They had become fast friends. Alice got along well with Delilah and Bliss though. LuLu was liked by all of us, along with Carson. They were just likable people.

"Well..." Bella grinned, trailing off. She looked at me.

"They hated each other." Alice chirped.

"You did?" LuLu asked, excited to have some sort of information.

"Despised, actually." Alice added.

"Interesting." Rosie murmured, eyeing Bella and I.

"Well, then, how did you get together if you hated each others guts?" Bliss demanded. She had been a little starstruck before, but she was over it considering I was her future cousin- in- law, according to LuLu.

"Bella hated my taste in music." I explained.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Not your _taste _in music, just your song styles." She said, choosing her words carefully. "I mean really, Edward- Lynyrd Skynyrd? Don't get me wrong, Gimme Three Steps is a classic, but really? And Poison? Every Rose Has It's Thorn is alright, but all their other stuff is horrible!"

"What about you, Bella? No Doubt? Aerosmith?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Janie's got a gun!" Harlie sang.

"Run away! Run away from the pain!" Rosie joined in.

Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Alice hadn't said much. I think they were a little intimidated with Bella and her families spirit. Alice wasn't, I knew that much. She was jealous that they were hogging her best friend. But when it came to music, the guys had to join in.

"Aerosmith rocks, man!" Emmett cheered.

"No Doubt suck though, I'll give you that." Jasper added.

"You take that back!" Rosalie gasped, smacking her brother's arm.

"You got me feelin hella good so lets just keep on dancin'!" Alice sang. Everyone laughed as she began to dance around the front yard.

"Boo!" Bella laughed, as Alice tried to do a ballet twirl-a-mobab. Alice stuck her tongue out and danced back into Jasper's lap.

Jasper sat in front of the steps, with Alice in his lap. Emmett and Rosalie were sitting against the wall, with Emmett's arm around her. Delilah was sitting with her knees to her chest on the porch swing, while Bliss sat with her back to the railing next to her. LuLu was sitting on the bottom step while Carson sat across from her, on the middle step. Bella was seated on the railing of the porch, with her legs on either side. Rosie was sitting on the railing next to her, but facing us with both her legs dangling. I sat in the middle of the porch, next to LuLu.

"What happened after the music fighting?" Rosalie pressed.

I looked at Bella and shrugged. "We fell in love."

"There's more to the story then that! I would know! I was there." Alice argued.

"Well, if there's so much more to the story, you tell it, Alice." Bella suggested.

"Fine. I will." Alice huffed.

"Bella was new in school, and had no friends. She was weird." Bella rolled her eyes at this. "Edward was a man whore who had sexed it up with most of the female population of the high school. Edward was in Bella's biology class and they had to sit together. They hated each other and their music choices. But that day, I asked Bella to sit with me at lunch. She did and we became best friends. One night, Bella spent the night at my house and Edward was home...they ended up actually talking like real human beings." Bella and I snorted in sync. Alice pushed us in a closet and locked us in together. "After that they became really good friends. Until a month after they met, Edward jumped Bella in the hall one day and made out with her. Then they started going out. I'm sure you know what happened after that."

Everyone sat in silence. Until finally Carson spoke up.

"I didn't understand a goddamn word of that."

"Same here." Bliss chorused.

"Slow it down there, Tinkerbell." Delilah agreed. Alice huffed.

"Long story short- Alice locked us in a closet that night and we fell in love." Ah, Bella. Short and Sweet. Good job, love.

"That's a boring story." Bliss complained.

"Deal with it." Bella answered.

"So," LuLu changed the subject. Thank god. "When's the wedding?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "The second Tuesday of next week."

LuLu nodded. "So that's...." She started to do the math on her fingers. Then realization hit her face. "Hey!"

Bella bust out laughing and so did the rest of us. I think we just might be able to get used to this family.

Alice Cullen

Edward had carried Bella to bed last night. She fell asleep on the porch, along with Harlie and LuLu. Except, Carson carried LuLu and Harlie up. I learned a lot about the Swans last night. Delilah was really cool. She liked shopping, so we were friends. LuLu was amazing. Funny, smart, pretty. A blond Bella. Bliss was really cool for an eleven year old. She had that mature sense of humor, considering she was the youngest in the family aside from Lila. Harlie was awesome. She was pushy, blunt and sarcastic. I admired that. Rosie was cool too. Gorgeous, but not conceited.

Carson was like a big brother to everyone of those girls. He'd grown up a lot when he had to raise Rosie and Harlie. Rosie explained it all to us last night after Harlie, Bella and LuLu fell asleep. Apparently their parents died in some accident and left Carson as their legal gaurdian. But he had this house full of people for support, so it was all good.

It was eight when Jasper and I woke up. The whole house was bustling. Everyone was up except for Edward and Bella. Hmmm. I skipped to the fifth floor and knocked on Edward's door. When he didn't answer, I swung it open. His bed was made and un used. That could only mean...

I ran over to Bella's room and burst through the door. Laying there, peaceful as ever, was Edward and Bella. Bella lay across his chest, with Edward's arms encircled around her. The sweetest part about this moment, was that all their clothes were on. It was completely innocent and filled with love. I almost 'Awwwed' right then and there. Bella stirred in her sleep and then sat up. She looked at me groggily.

"Alice, what are you doing?" She asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Waking you two lovebirds up." I chirped. "Brekafast is ready."

Bella nodded and shook Edward's shoulder, ruffly. Startled, he sat up.

"Breakfast." Bella muttered. Why was Bella being so...cold? Bitchy? Hmmm. Oh, hey, wait- I almost forgot!

Bella hated mornings. According to her they were tedious and pointless. A person shouldn't wake up chipper and ready to face the sun. They should lie in bed for a good twelve hours, to prepare them for a nice slow afternoon. I personally thought this was a bunch of bullshit. But to each her own.

Bella Swan

I stumbled to my bathroom, in a haze. It was too early to be alive. Even in the hospital with Jack, I didn't wake up until at least ten or eleven.

When I was dressed and presentable, I made my way downstairs. Aunt Mari and Grandma were sitting at the table drinking coffee.

"Good morning, darling." Grandma smiled.

"Mornin, Grandma." I smiled back, pouring my self some orange juice.

"So..." Aunt Mari trailed off, looking at me curiously.

"How's that wedding coming along?"

I groaned. "Not you too!"

Grandma laughed. "Honey, it's plain as day. You and that boy were meant to be together."

Bella looked at her bare feet and then looked out the window. It was sunny and I could hear the waterfall rushing.

"Where is everybody?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Grandpa and Uncle Joe are out with the horses. The kids are watching. Oh, and Carson is with Jack. Guy time, you know." Aunt Mari told me.

I nodded and sipped my juice. "What are your plans today, Belle?" Grandma asked.

I shrugged. "I think I might swim."

Aunt Mari grinned. "By yourself?" She asked, suspiciously.

I smiled, slyly. "It'd be nice to have some company."

Grandma and Aunt Mari laughed. Then I noticed mom and Dino were no where to be found. "Where's mom?"

Aunt Mair sighed. "She's sticking around your Uncle Joe."

I nodded, understanding. Uncle Joe would keep her safe.

"Did Dino ever come in last night?" I asked, curiously.

"Nah." Grandma shook her head.

"Good riddance." Aunt Mari added.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please. That wasn't the last of him."

They both sighed. "That's what worries me." Aunt Mari said, quietly.

It was quiet for a minute.

"Belle...." Aunt Mari gave me a sad look.

"We've been thinking..." Grandma trailed off, uncertainly, looking at Aunt Mari.

"About your dad." Aunt Mari said, softly.

I froze. My dad? Why did they want to talk about my dad? Give me one reason my dad could possibly be on their minds!


	22. The River

Mari Swan

Look at the poor girl.

She's lived her whole defensively. Her whole life she had to be on her guard. No one was there to protect her. Well, there was Jack. But he was just a child himself. Renee was vulnerable after Charlie left them. Jack was strong, and took over. And Bella had feirce determination that helped her through these years.

Charlie was a good big brother. He was protective of Kenzi and I, just like Jack is with Bella. Renee was pregnant with Jack when she was sixteen. Renee's parents didn't exactly approve of Charlie. He was a bit of a free spirit. He liked to think for himself and start a riot. It was just the kind of person he was.

I see so much of him in Bella. Everyday I look at that darling face and see my big brother. In Renee's eyes, Charlie left them for dead. In Jack's eyes, he's worthless. In my parents eyes, he's a dissapointment. In my children and my nephews and neices eyes, he's a failure. But when I look into those big brown eyes of Belle's....I see a man that was confused. A man that felt trapped. A free spirit enslaved.

I know Bella wants to blame him. She wants to hate him for walking away from a family. But she doesn't. She loves that man. He was her father. And he always will be.

Charlie and Renee weren't getting along real well. That fight Edward and Bella shared, well, that was nothing compared to Renee and Charlie's blow outs. We wouldn't see Charlie for days at a time. Now, I love Renee like a sister. She's welcome in our home any time. But I couldn't help but feel a little hatred towards her when I felt Charlie slipping away. She was pushing my brother away from his family, away from his home.

That night he finally left, Belle was heartbroken. Cried and cried. We couldn't calm her down. The only person she wanted was Jack. He was here lifeline. Her safe haven. God bless that boy.

After a few weeks, Renee decided she couldn't stay in this house. So many reminders of Charlie. And to tell the truth, I was glad to see her go. In my mind, I always thought that she should have been the one to leave in the first place. This was Charlie's family and Charlie's house. He grew up here. He belongs here. The only truly sad thing about the situation was that I not only lost a brother, I lost my neice and nephew. Renee packed them up and moved across the counrty.

Jack made sure that him and Belle visited often as they could. Renee couldn't come. Her son of a bitch husband wouldn't let her out of his site. And he didn't want to go to little old Tennessee with her little brats. Stupid old Italian bastard. Keeping my family from me.

I was furious when I heard Renee was re married. That she got over my brother so quickly. Made me want to wring her little neck. I was glad I never saw Renee again.

But when Jack got in that accident and Renee came up here...I saw something I never expected. A ghost in those familiar blue eyes. She wasn't over Charlie. She missed him just as much as Bella. She styed with that Dino man out of fear. Bella confessed that he slapped her around, quite often. That made me nervous. I didn't like Belle in that house.

That's why I was so thrilled when Belle moved home before she had Lila. I had me neice back. And a great neice. I'm not that old so I like to think of Little Lila as just my neice. No greats thrown in.

But after all that's gone in the past few weeks, I started talking to Mama about Charlie. And how I want to get in contact with him. I mean, It's been thriteen years since I last saw him. It's time for a reunion. Bella deserves to have her father back. And Lila deserves to know her grandpa.

And hell- Even Charlie deserves to know he has a granddaughter.

"What about my dad?" Bella snapped. Her eyes shown fear. Fear and anguish.

"Well, darlin, we were just thinking it might be nice to get in touch with him." Mama explained.

Belle's mouth flew open. "What?" She gasped.

"Sweetie, we know how much you miss him-"

"I don't miss him." She growled, interupting me.

"Don't lie, darlin. I see it in your eyes. You miss your daddy." Mama smiled sadly at her granddaughter. Belle shook her head.

"No. And even if I did miss him, he doesn't want me. That's why he left." Bella mumbled.

With that she tore out of the house like a hound. We wouldn't be seeing her for a while.

Edward Cullen

I went down to the kitchen, dressed in some of my simplest clothes. A pair of blue jeans and a tee shirt Bella bought me in high school. Still fit like a glove.

Mari and Beth were sitting at the small rickety table, looking into their cups of coffee. They perked up a little when they spotted me.

"Well, hello there, sleepy head." Mari laughed.

"Good morning." I chuckled.

"Sleep good?" Beth asked, warmly.

"Excellent." I told her, sitting down across from them.

"Good to hear." Beth got up to dump her cold coffee out. Mari fidgeted nervously.

"Edward, honey....has Bella ever said anything to you....about her dad?" She asked, quietly.

"Not really. Maybe shared a few memories once of twice, but she mostly keeps to herself about that." I explained. They both nodded. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, we're hoping to get in touch with Charlie soon." Beth explained. I made an 'Ah' noise and nodded. Bella wouldn't appreciate that too much.

"Belle's a little upset." Mari added, softly. I could see why.

"I'll talk to her." I reassured them. They nodded, gratefully. It was nice to know I was easing these nice women's troubles.

I walked outside to find the sun and grassy feilds. It really was a beautiful place. I heard a shreik behind me. There, in front of the large stable, was Joe riding a big brown horse. Lila was running towards me, past him.

"Daddy!" She sang, throwing herself into my arms. I swung her around, effortlessly.

"Hey there, sweetheart." I chuckled.

"Are you going to find mommy?" She asked, her eyes twinkling with excitment. "Cause she went to the river."

I kissed my daughters forehead. "Thank you, sweetie."

The river was beautiful. Sparkling and blue. Almost like tropical waters, rather then a small town river. The waterfall fell from large sand colored rocks. Because the river was located near the woods, there was a rope swing that you could use to swing into the water. And the river was deep enough to dive into. It was rather perfect, actually.

Bella sat on the edge of the water, looking down at her reflection. She stared sadly back at herself. So, in a tragic attempt to cheer her up, I, fully dressed, grabbed the rope swing and launched myself in. I landed with a splash, that most likely drenched Bella. I popped my head abck up and found Bella smiling down at my wet expression.

"Hi, there." I said, casually, as if I hadn't just dove into a pool of water.

"What are you doing?" She laughed, brushing my hair back. It had been falling in my eyes.

"Cheering you up," I announced. "Mari told me about the Charlie situation."

Her face fell. "Yeah. That." She muttered.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "You'll get to see your father again!"

She glared at the water. "What father? I have no father." She murmured, splashing the river with her hand, shattering her reflection.

I took her hand and held the land to steady myself in the water. It was deeper then I actually expected. She looked into my eyes, tearing up.

"Things have bee crazy lately." I murmured, tracing patterns on her hand with my thumb. "But that's no reason to turn your family away."

She closed her eyes and took a breath. "Edward, he turned _us_ away. I'm not the bad guy here."

She was right. But she was also wrong.

"Bella, love, you miss your father. He may have created this mess, but you can to take the first steps in cleaning it up." I told her, softly. She sighed.

"I don't know what to do. I know they aren't talking to him until I'm on board." She stared at the grass next to her.

I lifted her chin with my finger so that she stared straight into my eyes. "Then get on board, love."

Bella Swan

His green orbs stared me down, lovingly. "Then get on board, love."

He reached up so that he was halfway out of the water and gently kissed me. A rush of old feeling came bursting through my surface. It was so natural, it felt like he had never been gone. I moved my mouth with his, savoring the moment. Until, to my right, I heard a splash.

We looked around. Not a soul in sight.

Until Carson's head popped up out of the water.

I laughed as he shook his blond hair out. He grinned when Edward reached to splash him for ruining our kiss.

"I'm not one for ruining a moment." He defended himself, wading over. "But that oppurtunity was too good to pass up. Rosie and Harlie never bring there dates home to meet me."

"I wonder why." I exclaimed, sarcastically, reaching down to splash him once again. I didn't expect him to grab my wrist. Or to pull me in.

I plunged into the cool, refreshing river water. I floated back up to the surface and popped my head up. Edward and Carson were swimming around and laughing at my disheveled hair. I mock glared at them.

"You guys are horrible!" I cried, in fake annoyance.

"I know right." I heard Rosie's voice behind me. I turned around. She was standing there with Harlie and Bliss, holding her camera. She snapped a picture and tossed it onto a pile of clothes. They were all in bathing suits.

Rosie was wearing a white bikini with a red rose on one the left. Harlie had on a purple and black bikini, simple but absolutely gorgrous on her, Bliss, being only eleven, had on an orange tankini with yellow polka dots all over it. All of them had there hair down and shining. Blond or black, both styles looked amazing.

"We thought you might want some company." Harlie explained.

"We didn't realize you had _plenty_ of company already." Rosie eyed Edward, suspiciously.

"Um, Hello? You're brothers here too." I pointed out, looking at Rosie like she had two heads.

She shrugged. "That's beside the point."

I rolled my eyes. There was laughter somewhere behind them, and soo enough, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, Del, LuLu (who was holding Lila) and Uncle Joe were coming through the trees. Del had on a black bikini with white stripes that matched her hair. LuLu had on a plain, but striking, hot pink bikini. Where did they find those things? This is backwoods here, people! I mean, look at Uncle Joe. Plain navy blue swim trunks.

Carlisle didn't look flashy either. Just black trunks. Alice was wearing a neon purple bikini that suited her small form. Rosalie had a on a deep red one peice, with a strip of her skin showing all the way to her belly button. Jasper had on white trunks and Emmett had on green.

Lila looked pretty though. She had on a yellow one peice bathing suit, and she looked cute and innocent. Good. I didn't want Rosie and LuLu corrupting her little mind. I did enough of that on my own. Lila jumped into my waiting arms and I swam around with her, seeing as she couldn't swim without water wings. But Del put them on her feet last week when she was swimming and they popped becuase she stood up on ground with them still on. We had to buy new ones, but we just haven't gotten around to it yet.

"Oh, look. A party." I muttered, sarcastically. Del jumped in, making me float partly away.

"Lighten up, Mommy Dearest." LuLu laughed, jumping into Carson's arms.

"I bet he wishes you were Caroline." Bliss teased.

Edward Cullen

"Caroline?" Bella asked, curiously. Carson blushed, but tried to hide it.

"She's no one." He mumbled, swimming away from there questioning.

"She doesn't sound like no one." Bella pressed. When Carson wouldn't budge, she gave up and turned to Bliss.

"Apparently our little liar over there hasn't been at work everytime he goes out. He's been with his girlfriend!" Bliss giggled.

"You have a girlfriend?!" Bella gasped, outraged. She splashed him with the arm that wasn't holding Lila up. Hmmm. I'll teach her how to swim soon. Bonding time, you know.

"Never thought I'd see the day. I was beginning to think you were a little fruitier then you let on, boy." Joe whistled. Carson frowned.

"You thought I was gay?" He asked, clearly unhappy with this.

"What happened to watching our words, Sonny?" Harlie demanded, floating on her back.

Carson ignored her. "You really thought I was fruity?" He demanded.

Joe laughed. "Cool off, boy. I know you're not."

Carson visibly relaxed.

"I want to meet this bitch." Del announced. Carson dunked her under water.

She struggled, but finally got back up, furious.

"What was that for?" She growled.

"She's not a, " He glanced at Lila. "Female dog and watch it. Lila's here, remember?"

Del rolled her eyes. "I'm not blind."

Carson sighed.

"Sonny, I wanna meet your girlfriend!" Lila cried after LuLu whispered something in her ear. Carson glared at his oldest sister.

"Did LuLu tell you to say that?" He asked.

"Nope." Lila responded, popping the 'p'

"It's not cool to lie." He gave her a stern look. She put a smug smile on.

"It's not cool to hide secret girlfriends either." Lila phrased this awkwardly, but the message got across. Carson's mouth flew open. He turned to glare at LuLu and Bella.

"She learns this stuff from you two." He gave them both 'Way to go' looks.

LuLu rolled her eyes and flashed him an angelic smile. "What are you talking about? We're angels. Can't you see our halo's?" She made a circle around her head with her hands.

I laughed at her pathetic attempt at innocence. She radiated mischeif.

"You're such a loser." Del laughed, splashing water at her. Bella pretended to be angry.

"Don't call her a loser, you," She glanced at Lila who was completely oblivious. "Not nice word."

Del rolled her eyes. "How hurtful."

"It was supposed to be." Bella insisted. Del laughed.

Out of nowhere, Alice giggled.

"What?" Bella asked, curiously.

"Nothing, it's just the way you guys argue. It's like kindergarteners." She explained.

Rosie gasped as if she was insulted. "We kindergarteners take that offensively. Right Lila?"

"You're damn right." Lila nodded, looking serious.

It wasn't funny. I mean, she was six and she was cursing. But we all burst out laughing.


	23. Do I Know You?

**Authors Note: EVERYONE PLEASE READ!!!!**

**I've gotten a lot of reveiws saying that this is basically the Game Plan or how I don't know anything about Tennessee, I got it all wrong. Please, understand that yes, I know nothing about Tenessee. When Alice buys them cowboy hats and boots, it seems stereotypical, but it's just Alice looking for an excuse to shop! And one girl asked me if my Tennesse, was based off the Hannan Montana movie. No. It's not. I've never even seen the movie, and I have no plans to. I have, however, seen the commercials for it a million times, and did, in fact, base the river off of it. And yes, a small part of the plot is based off the Game Plan. I watched it with my little brother, and I drew inspiration. The first two chapters are the only one's that really are directly copying the Game Plan. Everything else is mine. **

Rosalie Hale

It's so gorgeous out here. And thats a lot coming from me.

I was born and raised in New York City. So, yes, I'm a city slicker. No feilds of green for me. Red roses were okay though. Haha. I just had an Emmett moment.

I was a little reluctant to come here. I mean, I've never met this Bella person. I really only did it for Lila. I was a sucker for little kids. They were just so cute. I really wanted to be a mom soon. I planned on starting a family as soon as Emmett and I were married. I was hoping for a son. A son just like Emmett.

I wanted him to have his curls, but my color. And Emmett's brown eyes, but my ears. For some reason, I always got compliments on my ears. Oh, and my nose. He has to have my nose too. But he can have Emmett's everything else. Now that would be the perfect child. An angel, even.

I had a best friend in high school, her name was Vera. She ended up pregnant at sixteen. I helped her though. Her parents threw her out, so my parents let her live with us. She got along well with Jasper. Everything was good. Her boyfriend, aka her baby daddy, helped a lot too. He felt really bad about knocking her up. He really did love Vera. His name was Luis. He was beautiful and sweet. The perfect guy.

Vera had a baby boy, Henry. He was so adorable. Black curls like his father and green eyes like his mother. A very good combination. After high school, Vera and I drifted apart. We talked every now and then. Last I heard, Luis, Henry and her were living happily in Wyoming. Why ever she chose Wyoming, I will never know.

I was sad to hear Bella was just a year older then Vera when she had Lila. Seventeen and pregnant. Worst part is that Edward wasn't there for any of it. Not the cravings, th morning sickness or the birth. That must have hurt her. I know I would have been absolutely devestated. And then going six years without him....

It was good that she wasn't alone though. She had her brother and her family. It made me a little jealous though, the way her brother was so protective of her. Jasper was a good brother, don't get me wrong. But he never had that sense of protection that Jack has over Bella. I realize that the claim on her is from being the man of the house for so long. He took care of both Renee and Bella for most of his teenage years. He _had_ to protect her.

It was just natural.

And when I saw them together in the hospital, I knew. I knew she was worried. I knew she was scared, horrified. I would be if Jasper was in this mess. But they were so much closer then Jasper and I. I mean, Jasper was my twin. We had the telepathy thing going on, but that was about it. Bella and Jack had such a hard life together.

Jasper and I grew up in a New York City penthouse with our CEO father and trophy wife mother. We had tons of money. We could basically do whatever we wanted. Our dad was never home, but he always made up for that. Extravagent gifts and fancy vacations. Our mom was always out with her friends, leaving Jasper and I with some old lady nanny. To this day, I hate old ladies.

In high school, we gained absolute freedom. We didn't need a nanny anymore and we both had transportation. For our sixteenth birthday, daddy got me a Cherry Red BMW Convertible. He got Jasper a Black Harley Davidson. Best day ever, let me tell you.

So after Vera had Henry and she moved in with Luis, things were pretty crazy. Wild parties, drunken flings. I even did a little expirementing with pot.

Jasper was had played the guitar his whole life. He'd had lessons since he was seven. So when he found out that a guy on his basketball team playd the drums, they got together. On one of the rare days I was home, Jasper brought Emmett, the drummer, home to compare music. I always secretly thought Jasper was kind of a band geek, so I was beyond annoyed when Jasper called me into the living room to meet his loser friend.

But then I saw him. The muscle. The hair. The smile. He was perfection. I fell in love that day. We ended up going out to dinner that very night. A small chinese food place. I had been to China when I was thirteen, after daddy forgot my birthday. I'd loved the food and culture ever since. I was happy. Finally a boy who knew what I liked without even asking.

It went on from there.

My parents were less then thrilled when they found out I was engaged to Emmett. You see, Emmett had grown up in a small town in Missourri. My parents thought he was low class becuase he didn't grow up the way Jasper and I did. But we blew that off. Who cared what they thought?

Until about a year after graduation, Emmett and Jasper heard about auditions for the newly famous Edward Cullen's band. They were so excited when they found out they had the job. Emmett was bouncing off the walls. When we all met up to discuss the music and get to know each other, we met Edwards little sister, Alice.

That's when Jasper fell head over heals in love. It was so sweet. He would get so nervous around her and she would just go on talking and talking like they's known each other for years. After a while, she started telling us about her best friend, Bella. I had to admit, I was jealous then too. I thought I was becoming Alice's best friend. We went out everyday and her and Jasper went out every night. We spent all our time together.

But then she told me how she had been Edward's girlfriend. And how there had been an ugly break up. So, that's why Edward was such a player, Alice had explained. He missed Bella. He didn't want any single girl, besides Bella. That was so sweet, in my opinion.

When Lila came into our lives, I was thrilled. Everyone was. We got a neice and Edward got a daughter. It was perfect. Until Lila told us all why she was there. I was crushed. Even if I didn't know Bella, I felt bad for her. Almsot losing her older brother like that.....it had to have been hard. So when the chance came to meet her, everyone jumped at it.

But after the fact, I became worried. What if she was a gold digger? What if she never really loved Edward? What if she hurt him again?

But when I met her and saw what a good person, a good mother, she really was I knew my worries were pointless. She was perfect for Edward. And that's all that mattered.

Alice Cullen

Around six, Mari called everyone in for dinner. They had a huge dining room with a huge oak table. Well, there _were_ like twenty people in this house. Everyone seemed to know exactly where to sit. Except, there were empty chairs in the most random of places.

Esme sat next to Del and Joe. Carlisle was placed between Bliss and Carson. Jasper sat next to LuLu and Bella. I sat across from Bella, next to Carson and Carlisle. Emmett was with Lila and Bliss. That was kind of funny. Two little girls next to a humongous muscley dude. Rosalie was next to Rosie and Harlie. No surprise when Edward sat next to Bella and Renee. He got the best of both worlds right there. He could sit with his lover and suck up to her mom.

Perfect.

Bella Swan

Dino still isn't home. Good. I never want to see that scum again. Mom deserves so much better. She was so happy with dad, and then he ditched us. How sad is that? I hate seeing her to unhappy. It makes me sick to see that fear in my mothers eyes. She did nothing to ever derserve what she'd been through. It wasn't fair.

_Life isn't fair, hun._

Shut up, dad! Ugh. Ever since Aunt Mari and Grandma mentioned talking to him, I've been hearing his voice everywhere. And he says the most helpful things. I think it's just my concious on like, voice privacy or something. at least I hope thats what it is. I'm in no mood to go crazy.

Grandma made roast beef and mashed potatoes for dinner tonight. Everyone's mouth is watering. Roast beef was Harlie's favorite, so she was ecspecially excited. She was practically drooling. It wasn't normal.

Everyone was eating and making casual sonversation, just like any other night, when the front door slammed. Oh shit. I've hears that noise too many times to not know whats coming...

Dino stumbled into the room, obviously drunk and confused. He spotted Renee and pointed at her, angrily.

"Get up, Bitch!" He slurred. "You're my bitch!"

Carson, Edward, Jasper Emmett, Carlisle, Grandpa and Uncle Joe jumped up and hovered protectively around us women. Renee was shaking with fear and Lila crawled under the table and pulled herself up into my lap to watch this safely. I taught her well. Aunt Mari sneaked quietly into the kitchen, to call for some help, I'm guessing,.

"Let's be calm now, Dino." Grandpa warned him, cautiously.

"I'll do whatever the hell I want!" He roared, stumbling into the table. It shook. "Gimme the bitch!"

"Fuck off." I growled, standing up with the guys. Edward wasn't happy about this.

"Bella. Sit. Down." He hissed through his teeth.

"No, Edward." I murmured, staring right into the eyes of the drunken monster my mother married.

"Bella. Now." He ordered, pointing at my chair. I shook my head.

"I'm protecting my mom. There's no wrong in that." I turned to Dino, who was making a grumbly noise in his throat. "Leave my mom the fuck alone."

"Make me, you little whore." He slurred, angrily.

"Don't you call my cousin a whore!" Carson yelled.

Dino continued on, enjoying Carson's anger. "You and your mom, you're just whores. That's why your precious daddy left you. Because he knew you were a whore. A little, good for nothing whore."

That's when the first punch flew. And you know who's it was?

Mine.

Becuase no one talks about me and my mom like that.

And no one, I repeat no one.......talks about my dad. Ever.

Dino had blood in the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away, clumsily.

"You little slut." He growled, making a move towards me. Edward and Carson stepped in the way.

"Get the hell away from her, fuckface." Carson hardly ever cussed. It was refreshing to hear it from his mouth, in his accent. Almost funny actually.

"Fuckface? Fuckface?" Dino burst into a fit of uncontrolable drunken laughter. "You're the fuckface!"

"Kill him." Emmett hissed, going towards him. Uncle Joe grabbed his arm.

"Now, boy, unless you want to spend half your life in jail, you better think again." He warned, quietly.

"It'll be worth it." Jasper growled.

"Damn right." Carson agreed. Uncle Joe sighed.

"Calm down." He directed. They did, surprisingly. Dino was still laughing when the door burst open. Three armed cops came in, like they were expecting an ax murderer. They didn't look surprised to see Dino.

"Him again." A cop muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Again?" I asked.

"He was causing trouble in the city. Had to kick him out of six bars." Another officer explained.

He looked vaguely familiar. Like I'd seen him before. Well, I'm sure I have. Everyone knows everyone in this rinky dink town. But he was way different. Way way different. Black, greying hair, hazel eyes, in his thirties....

No way.

Shit.

"Surprise, surprise." LuLu mumbled. It took me a minute to realize they were still talking about Dino.


	24. Baby Steps

Edward Cullen

I can't beleive Bella jumped up like that. Can't she see that us men were protecting her? Can't she let someone else take care of her, just this once? I mean really. That drunken bastard waltzes in here and she can't even let me stick up for her. What good was I?

And then she punched him? Punched him? I would've punched him for her! 'm the man. I should protect the woman, not the other way around. This was ridiculous.

The cops had Dino in the back of their car, in handcuffs. It was a particuliarly enjoyable fight. Bella had been eyeing one of the cops since they arrived. Was she into him? He looks nearly thirty six. I felt an unfamiliar pang of jealously. But why? This man had no chance with her. She loved me.

I was debating on ways to show she was mine, when Bella finally went over and touched the man's arm. What was she doing?

"Excuse me," The man turned around. "By any chance, is your name Louie Owens?"

The man looked skeptical. "There may be some chance, yeah. Who are you?"

Bella smiled, slightly. "You used to be best friends with Charlie Swan?" She pressed.

He raised an eyebrow. "How did you know that?" He demanded.

Bella grinned. "Well, when you have some one over every day for ten years, you start to recognize them." She said, casually. He looked a little confused.

"Excuse me?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks for remembering, Uncle Louie." She said, sarcastically.

"Uncle Louie?" He was really lost right now. You could see it in his eyes.

"Maybe this will remind you- 'Uncle Louie! Did you bring me the sunny seeds?'" Bella asked, hugging Louie around the waist. Recognition hit his face.

"Little Bells!" He chuckled, swinging her around like she weighed nothing. "How you been, little girlie?"

"I've been good." She answered. "I would have been better if my Uncle Louie didn't dissapear off the face of the Earth!"

He looked sheepish. "Charlie asked me to stay away." He told her.

"Oh, screw Charlie." Bella muttered.

"Um," Another officer waved at us. "Louie?"

He looked blank for a second, before responding. "Oh, right, right. Guys, this is Charlie's daughter, Bella. Bella, this is Tom, Robby and Earl."

"You're Charlie's kid?" The one named Robby asked. "Well, son of a gun."

"You grew up." Tom laughed. Bella looked confused. Earl explained.

"We've seen pictures. Charlie looks at' am all the time." He explained, waving a hand in the air like it was nothing.

It wasn't nothing.

This was definately something.

Bella Swan

_Charlie looks at' em all the time._

No, he doesn't. He does not. He left. And how would they know? He's gone. Good and gone.

"What?" I asked, flatly.

Earl looked a little taken back at my abrupt change of tone.

"I said, he looks at your picture all the time. Your brother's too." He added.

No.

He.

Doesn't.

"How do you know?" I asked, a slow and dangerous calm settling in my voice.

Tom looked a little worried. "Well, he, um, he works with us. He's the, uh, Cheif Of Police up in, uh, ummm, Nashville." He stuttered.

Fuck.

Renee Dwyer

Charlie. My ex husband Charlie. My ex husband Charlie who screwed up my life, Charlie. He was in Nashville. Two hours away was where my love resides. This was too good to be true. Bella didn't see it that way. And I know Jack wouldn't. Oh, he's going to throw a fit. Bella's fuming in her head right now, I can tell.

"Nashville?" Bella asked, flatly.

Earl nodded, nervously. "Um, yeah."

To make matters worse, Tom added, "He's a real nice guy."

Bella Swan

Yeah. Nice enough to ditch his family. His family that needed him. I hope he burns in hell.

"Belle," Uncl Louie started, uneasily. "As much as I love talking to you, I really need to get the story on this Dino guy. I need to know what I'm arresting him for."

"Oh, yeah." I muttered. "He's a drunk, for one."

"And abusive." Edward added, coming up next to me. He slung his arm around my shoulders, comforting me.

"He hit you?" Uncle Louie gasped, looking at me like big purple bruises were going to suddenly appear all over my face.

"Mostly Renee." I said, softly. Uncle Louie whistled under his breath.

"Charlie ain't going to be happy bout this." He mumbled.

"It's what he wanted." I snapped. Uncle Louie looked at me in shock.

"He never wanted you hurt." He told me, quietly.

"He hurt me when he left." I growled. Uncle Louie backed off.

Smart man.

"You're right. And he was a jackass for doing it." Why did I get the feeling he was just telling me what I wanted to hear?

"Can we keep this G rated?" Carson asked from behind me. "There're kids here."

Uncle Louie looked behind me and grinned.

You see, we had always lived in this house. Before we moved to Forks, Jack and I grew up here. Uncle Louie had been Charlie's best friend since they were kids. Uncle Louie was my godfather, actually. Uncle Louie used to come around all the time when we were kids. Everytime he came, he had sunflower seeds with him. Or, as I called them, Sunny Seeds. Last time he's seen my family, was the last time he saw me. Right before Charlie walked out.

That was ten years ago. I'm sure he saw a change.

Uncle Louie then came up and hugged everyone in a random order, belting out loud and cheerful greetings. He tried to name the kids, from memory.

"Let me guess," He pointed at LuLu. "LuLu?" She nodded, happily.

"Delilah?" She gave him a thumbs up.

"Carson?" Carson saluted him.

This was where he started getting confused. He pointed to Harlie. "Rosie?"

"Nope." She shook her head. He tried again, gueesing right this time.

He turned to Bliss. "I know you're Bliss, but who's this little one?" He asked, gesturing towards Lila.

I cleared my throat and he turned around. I picked Lila up and settled her on my hip. "Uncle Louie, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Lila."

He looked frozen. I guess he wasn't expecting that. A lot of people always ask me if Lila is my sister.

I continued. "This is my boyfriend, Edward Cullen-"

"Edward Cullen?" Tom asked. "My wife loves you!"

Edward chuckled. "Glad to hear I have some fans."


	25. Famous Pant's Point

Edward Cullen

"Could I get an autograph for her?" Tom asked, eagerly.

"Of course."

The people here were so nice. I know Bella never wanted to leave. I didn't want to leave either. These people were so sweet, like family.

I signed my name on a few slips of paper for the officers to pass around. They were grateful, I could tell you that much. I would be too. You could probably get out of quite a few arguements if you got your wife her favorite celebrity's autograph. But I've never had a wife, so I wouldn't really know.

Two weeks ago, Dino ws arrested for Spousal Abuse and Drunken Rage. According to the cops, he could've seriously injured us in his drunken stupor. Not. He was going to court in a few weeks, and Bella, Renee and Jack were going to have to testify against him. Jack would be out of the hospital in a week. He would be on crutches for a little while, but he could manage. After all, he was Jack.

Bella, Lila and I were visiting him right now. Bella was filling him in on the Charlie situation. Jack was not happy at all. Bella and him were discussing pro's and con's. Well, that sounds very formal. They were basically agreeing that it would be very bad for him to come back in their eyes, while I threw in a few good points and Lila played with my hair.

"He can't just waltz back in after thriteen years of ignoring us." Bella grumbled.

"It wouldn't be fair to Mom or you." Jack agreed.

"It wouldn't be fair to you either. Or Lila." Bella added.

"You would be seeing your idol again, Bella." I reminded her.

"He's not my idol." She snapped. "Jack is."

"Awww," He touched his heart. "How sweet."

"Shut up." Bella mumbled, swatting his chest.

"When am I getting out of here?" He asked, looking around.

"When you're all better." Lila answered.

"I am all better, short stuff." He responded.

"I'm not short!" She argued, an angry look on her small face.

"Yes, you are." Jack said, smiling as she wrinkled her nose up.

"No, I'm not." She said through her teeth.

"Uh-huh."

"Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh."

"Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh."

Lila climbed down from my lap and pulled herself onto Jack's hospital bed. She leaned in so she was right in his face and growled,

"I. Am. Not. Short."

Jack pretended to be scared. "Oh no, she's gonna eat me!" He cried, placing his hands over his eyes. This made Lila's anger dissapear. She giggled, prying his hands off his eyes.

"I'm not gonna eat you, silly." She giggled.

"Phew." Jack pretended to be releived. Wow. He really was an excellent uncle.

"Back to the Charlie issue." Bella said, impatiently.

"Mommy, relax." Lila told her, putting her small hand on Bella's cheek. Bell placed her hand over Lila's.

"Okay, sweetie." She sighed, smiling lovingly at Lila. Lila climbed into her mothers lap and snuggled against her chest.

"I say we don't talk to him." Jack announced.

"I second that." Bella agreed. I rolled my eyes.

"You two are avoiding confrontation." I informed them.

"Well, tell us Mr. Famous Pants," Bella said, sarcastically. "What do you think we should do?"

"I think you should confront him and tell him how you feel." I answered, easily. Jack paused, but Bella scoffed.

"He wouldn't listen." She argued.

"Hang on a sec, Bellerina. Famous Pants might have a point." Jack disagreed.

"Thats Mr. Famous Pants to you." I grinned.

"Respect your elders, son." I admit, that was a good comeback. And he _was_ four years my senior.

"Yes, sir." I mocked him, saluting him as if he had authority.

"Thats more like it." He chuckled.

"If you girls are done," Bella said, scowling at us. She obviously wasn't amused. "How does he have a point?"

"Well, you'd be able to tell that mother-" Jack cut himself off, looking at Lila. "Mother fuddler, how much he hurt you. How much you hate him. Anything. You could give him what he deserves."

Bella nodded, processing this. "So, basically, give him hell?"

"Correctimundo." He grinned, slyly. Bella rolled her eyes.

"You're such a loser." She muttered.

"Me? You're the one who tried to walk up an escelator." He laughed. Bella glared at him.

"That was one time. And I was six!" She cried, smacking Jack's arm.

"What's wrong with being six?" Lila pouted.

"Everything, short stack." Jack told her, ruffling her hair. She huffed.

"I thought we went over this already."

Bella and I laughed. Jack huffed, mocking her. This made her huff back. They went back and forth for about two minutes before Lila was running out of breath. Thats when Jack pretended to be exhausted and gasped, convincingly,

"Alright. You win."

Bella glanced at the clock and sighed. 6:30. Dinner time. I know Bella didn't really want to leave Jack all alone. But we had to be home for dinner soon.

"Time to go." Bella announced, sadly.

"But mommy!" Lila whined.

"We'll be back tomorrow, lady bug." Bella reassured her, kssing her forehead.

"Promise?" Lila checked.

"Promise." Bella responded, resting her chin on Lila's head as she stood up and hoisted Lila on her hip.

"Bye, Jack. Love you." Bella kissed Jack on the cheek and went out of the room to start the car. It was particularly cold tonight. I turned to Jack just before I was about to take my leave.

"Oh, Jack?" He looked me in the eye. "Thanks."

"For what?" He asked, gaurded and confused.

"For being there. For Lila. For Bella. For both of them." I answered. His eyes softened.

"No problem, man. I'll always be there for them." He told me. And he wasn't lying.

"I know. Thats another reason to say thanks." I smiled. He grinned back.

"Get out of here, whipper snapper." He laughed. I chuckled as I made my way out of the hospital and to the car where my girlfriend and daughter awaited.

Bella Swan

How the hell do you make this?

It was Saturday morning and I, being the thoughtful girl I was, wanted to make my family breakfast. But how exactly did I do that? We had all the ingredients, yes. We had the utensils. And we had the time. But we were lacking serious skill. I was known for my macaroni and my grilled cheese. I can make eggs and toast, and I'd seen my mom make pancakes. Plus, we had bacon, sausage and maple syrup. It couldn't be that hard. Right?

Wrong.

This was terrifying. I had made the toast successfully so far, and had six eggs done. Only about ten more to go. The pancakes were a different story. I had the batter made. There were only a few egg shells. No one would notice, I was sure. They were small peices anyway. The bacon kept sizzling grease at me and, ow, it kind of hurt. I wasn't used to hot drops of grease jumping at my arms. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, let me tell you.

Anywa, after an excruciatingly long morning of cooking, Edward came down the stairs in a pair of red plaid pajama pants and np shirt. I hadn't seen him without a shirt on since we were teenagers. It was long overdue. I was practically drooling when he came in, his hair ruffled with sleep in his eyes. He looked like God in superstar format. One of the many reasons I loved him so much.

"You made breakfast?" He asked, schocked.

"Naturally." I grinned, kissing him chastely on the lips.

"I've never seen you cook anything harder then cereal." He chuckled, putting pancakes on a plate.

"I've made macaroni." I reminded him.

"In the microwave." He snorted.

"It doesn't take as long in the microwave." I argued.

"You're the most impatient person I know." He rolled his eyes, sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Thats why you love me." I murmured, sitting next to him. I pulled him over to me and kissed him, long and hard. He seemed a little surprised. I mean, we were just making up. This was pushing it a little.

"Mommy and Daddy sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g..." Lila's voice brought us back to reality. We pulled apart, and found her in the kitchen doorway, looking a little disghusted. I would too if I was six and found my parents making out.

"Hey, baby girl. Want some breakfast?" I asked, getting up to get her a plate.

She nodded, eagerly. I fixed her a plate with a very small portion of almost everything. She didn't like eggs. She sat in my lap while she ate, chatting away, trying to be a grown up. I thought it was cute. Edward just found it amusing, he pretended to take her very seriously when she said it might rain today.

"Well, we'll have to take umbrellas." He announced, grimly.

"I'll go get my barbie one!" She exclaimed, climbing off my lap.

"Lila!" She was already down the hall. "And she's gone."

Edward laughed, quietly. "Lets get ready. Jack's probably been awake for hours now."

I glanced at the clock. 8:27. He was probably right. Jack was one of those nerdy early risers. We got ready quickly, just as Aunt Mari and Mom were waking up.

"You going to see Jack, kid?" Mom asked, smoothing out my hair as I slipped my flip flops on.

"Yeah. I'm bringing him breakfast." I told her, holding up the tubberware filled with bacon and eggs.

"Thats sweet." She smiled. She'd been in a extra good mood since Dino was out of the picture. "I'll be by in a little bit."

"Gotcha." I said, kissing her on the cheek.

We drove to the hospital, with Lila humming in the backseat. She was tryign to tell us that she was as good as Daddy. She did have some raw talent for a six year old, I'd admit. But nothing to brag about. Yet. Edward had gone with Lila to the bathroom, so I headed to Jack's room. As I reached for the door, I heard Jack's voice. It was low, like he didn't want people to hear him. There was a gruffer voice too. Almost like......


	26. The Prodigal Father Returns

I swung the door open and I swear to God my eyes fell out of my head. Standing there, in an old police uniform and scuffed up shoes, was the sperm doner. Thats right. The man I once called Dad. Daddy. The man I once called my here. My idol. Now he was scum. He didn't look any different. He had a few more lines on his face then before. Mostly laugh lines, actually. What did he have to laugh about? He had no family.

"Bella?" He looked astonished. "Well, look at you."

"Yeah. Look at me." I stepped into the room, slowly.

"I was just telling him to fuck off." Jack hissed, annoyed.

"And I was just telling Jack that I didn't plan on fucking off." Charlie, as I was now referring to him, grunted. "Listen, Bells, I know you're mad-"

"Mad? Oh, no. The mad ship sailed about twelve years ago. That ship is fucking in Figi by now." I growled.

"Okay, okay. I get your point. But, honey-"

"You lost the right to call me honey, when you walked out thirteen years ago." I snapped.

"Bella," He sighed, looking incredibly weary. "Just let me talk."

"Fine." I hissed. "You have five minutes."

"Thirty seconds." Jack grumbled.

"Bella, I never meant to hurt you. I never ever wanted to see you upset. I left your mother because it was the right thing to do. We weren't happy. I wasn't happy." He tried desperately to explain.

"You werent' happy with your life, so you bailed on two kids that needed you?" I asked, angrily. "Thats going to make me forgive you."

"Hey, kid! I may not have been there for a few years, but I'm still your father. And I deserve some respect." He told me, sternly. Like he could boss me around.

"You know what you deserve? A kick in the ass, thats it. You think you can just come in here and pretend like you never left? Well, you can't!" I snapped.

"Isabella Marie, I know its been hard for you, its been hard for me too. But that doesn't mean we can't fix things-"

"You had thirteen years to fix things." I argued.

"Stop cutting me off, Bella!" He demanded. "Is that really how your mother and I raised you?"

"No. Thats how Mom raised me. Thats how Jack raised me. Thats how I raised myself. You didn't raise me. Ten years, big whoop. Thats nothing. Do you know how much you missed? Do you?"

He was silent. Grave.

"You missed everything. You missed my first day of middle school, of high school. You missed both Jack and I's graduations. You missed me falling in love, you missed me making friends. You missed me getting pregnant." His head shot up. "And more importantly- you've missed six years of your granddaughters life. Six years she'll never get back. And thirteen that I'll never get back."

"You had a baby at," He seemed to be doing the math in his head. "seventeen?"

"Maybe if you had been here, you wouldn't be so shocked." I murmured.

He looked at me pleadingly. "Bella, you have no idea how sorry I am. I never wanted to hurt you. Or Jack, or your mother. Louie told me what happened with her husband, and I'm so sorry. Kid, I missed you so much. I didn't want to leave you. I was debating on whether or not to take you and Jack with me. But I couldn't do that, not to my baby. I wasn't about to pick you up from the life you had and force you to start a new one somewhere else. I love you, Bella. You're my daughter, and I love you. Don't you beleive me?"

I stared at him. Maybe he was telling the truth. Both him and I weren't very good liars. I got my lying skills from him. Maybe be was going to stick around. But what if he didn't? I couldn't set myself up for that kind of pain again. And I couldn't risk that for Lila. I wasn't about to let her get hurt like that. Lila gets attatched to people. Easily, very easily. I have to factor her in. And Edward? He's going to want to go back to California soon. I can't expect him to stay here with me and family, just because 'Dad' is here. That wouldn't be fair to him. He had a career he needed to get back to. I wasn't going to stope him from leaving, as much as I wanted to. Thinking about how many times I needed him and he wasn't there. I needed a Dad so many times in my life, and lets face it, Dino just didn't cut it. He wasn't there to stick up for me when i was being called a whore, for getting pregnant. He wasn't there to help me raise Lila. He wasn't there to catch me sneaking out, or to ground me. Those aren't things that teenagers like, but I would have loved it if my Dad had grounded me. It would have meant he had been there. Jack would kill me for forgiving him. Jack misses him too, but he knows how much I need him for stability. He was where I came from. I don't have a lot of Renee in me, as much as she hates to admit it. I loved Jack, and we always sided together, but this time might be different. But how would Renee feel about him just walking back into our lives like this? Devestated, maybe. Hurt. Confused. A little dirty. Who knows? I didn't. But as much as I hated to admit it....I missed Dad. Yes, Dad. My Dad. I missed him. And I want him back. He may have been gone for this long, but now he was back. And it was time to peice this mess back together.

So I'd made my decision. Time for Jack to make his. Dad was looking down at Jack, avoiding eye contact with me. I winked at Jack, quickly. Jack sighed, warily and rolled his eyes. He threw his hands up in the air and mumbled, unhappily,

"And the Prodigal Father returns."


	27. Dissed

I don't think I've ever seen Dad so happy. He picked me up into a hug, and swung me around like I was five again. He was strong for an old guy. But then again, he was Cheif Of Police. I guess he had to have a little muscle. Jack wasn't as thrilled. He cheered, half heartedly, sarcastically muttering,

"Yeah! Woohoo! Alright! Yeah!"

I rolled my eyes when he threw his arms in the air and did a little dance while he was laying down. Dad didn't seem to notice, he was too absorbed in our reunion to see much else. Thats why he didn't see Edward and Lila come in. I did and so did Jack. He had an evil glint in his eye and I saw a little party in his head.

"Oh, Bells, its so good to be back." Dad sighed.

"Um, Bella?" Edward asked from behind.

Dad and I turned around. Edward was standing there with Lila, looking completely lost. Lila was squirming in his arms a little, eager to see Jack. Edward put her down and Lila bounced onto Jack's bed. Jack wrapped his arms around her, protectively. Dad was staring at Lila like she was God or something.

"Edward...meet my Dad." Edward's eyes bugged out. "Dad, meet my boyfriend and the father of my child, Edward Cullen."

"Aren't you famous or something?" Dad asked, a little skeptical.

"Yes, sir. You could say that." Edward answered, politely.

"We'll its nice to know my Little Bells is taken care of." He murmured, shaking Edwards hand.

"She wasn't always." Jack grumbled under his breath. I shot him a look.

"But I am now," I said calmly. "Dad, this is my daughter, Lila."

"Lila?" He asked, seeming happier that he knew something helpful now. "Thats a cute name."

I almost laughed out loud. I don't think I've ever heard Dad use the word cute.

"You're mommy's daddy?" Lila asked, her eyes widening.

"Yep." Dad grinned, rubbing my arm a little.

"So you're my Grandpa?" Lila demanded, eagerly.

"Sure am, kid." He laughed. Lila launched herself from Jack's arms into Dad's. Dad stumbled a little, but chuckled. I don't think any of us were expecting her to do that. Well, maybe I was. And Jack didn't seem too surprised. He was pouting that Lila liked Dad so much already.

"So..." Edward said, trailing off. It was a little awkward.

"So, Dad. Why are you here?" I asked. He looked around the room a little.

"Louie filled me in. Heard all about your, um, step dad." He mumbled, looking a little embarassed.

"Not sure if the word Dad describes him all that well." I murmured, looking at Lila wrapped in Dad's arms.

"Sorry about that too." He muttered, looking down at his shoes.

"No worries." I told him. He looked up at me, gratfully.

The nurse walked in, thank god, saving us from another awkward silence. She smiled at us and checked Jack's vitals.

"Well, Jack." She grinned. "I'd say you'll be out of here by next week."

If he wasn't hooked up to an IV, I swear Jack would've done a backflip. He cheered and hollered for a few minutes, with me going along with it at first. After he started to do the running man lying down, I backed down. I may be a dance teacher, but the runnng man wasn't my style.

"What happened with you, anyway? I never got the whole story." Dad asked Jack, sitting down in a chair with Lila in his lap.

"Some moron in a truck hit me head on about two months ago." Jack answered, upset that he actually had to speak directly to Dad.

"Ouch," Dad whistled under his breath. "Thats gotta hurt."

"Yeah, kinda." Jack said, throwing him a sarcastic look, as he threw the blanket off from over him. His cuts were healing and not nearly as bad as before, but they still looked bad. His cast was there still, it would be for at least another three or four weeks. His ribs were healing okay, but there was still some damage. His head was almost all better, just a little while longer.

"Uncle Jacky, do you hurt?" Lila asked, curiously.

"A little bit, Lucky Charms." Jack smiled.

"Do you want me to kiss your booboo?" She asked, innocently.

"Oh, will you?" Jack cried, like he was in pain.

Lila climbed onto the bed, leaned over, and kissed Jack's stomach. He grinned and ruffled her hair. She snuggled against him. I wanted to take a picture, it was so cute.

**Edward Cullen**

She looked exactly like him. I couldn't get over that. They were practically identical. Exact same hair color, exact same eye coler. Same facial features, same expressions. She was definately Daddy's Little Girl. That was for certain. I was glad that he made the first move to get back in her life. She obviously wasn't going to, and neither was Jack. It was better that he walked in unnanounced. But I know it must have taken some convincing. Bella doesn't easily forgive. And their door wasn't exactly open. It was all but welded shut.

I know the boyfriend wasn't supposed to be excited about meeting their girlfriends father, but I was thrilled. Bella adored him, obviously, but I was kind of nervous. I mean, what if he thinks I'm worthless? What if he doesn't like me? Will he think I can make a stable home for his daughter? Oh, God, I hope so. It woudl make my life a hell of a lot easier. Bella and i have already had so many opsticles thrown in our way, we don't need another one.

I admit, a lot of the obsticles were ones that I put up. I felt terrible for saying the things I did in that fight, even if she did forgive me. I love her so much. I've been debating on asking her to marry me or not. Not so much as debating on whether or not _I am_, but whether or not its too soon. We've known each other nearly eight years, six of which we were apart. I don't want to seem pushy. But I am, I really am. I want nothing more then to have her as my wife. To have my ring on her finger, to have her proclaim her love for me in front of all our family and friends. Her and Lila are my whole world. I love them both so much. I don't think I could ever leave them again. But I know I'll have to eventually. Not permenantly, of course. But for concerts. CD signings. Tours. Bella doesn't like moving around. But she'll have to if were together. And I just want to apoligize in adance a thousand times for that.

Hey. Wait. That gives me an idea for my next song......

**Charlie Swan**

I feel to goddamn bad. Leaving my baby with that horrible man. Leaving my son to be a man at such a young age. Leaving Renee to juggle work. I just didn't know what else to do. I was so lost. I felt trapped. I love Bella and Jack more then anything, but I just couldn't stay any longer. I wanted to take them with me. But that would've broken Renee's heart. I already knew that me leaving her would do a lot of damage. I didn't want to take away her kids too. That was just cruel.

When I left, I didn't want to go too far. I wanted to be able to watch Bella and Jack froma distance. But when I heard that they moved...I wasn't about to go groveling to Mari, begging to know where they went. So I stayed in Nashville. It was a little differnt from Feilds, but it was good. Louie moved with me and we shared an apartment for a few months. But then I met Anna. She was gorgeous. Long, wavy blond hair. Freckles. Soft green eyes. She was perfect. She was sweet. She was kind. She was harmless. And she wasn't looking to hold me back like Renee. She was open to anything. So, we bought a small house in Nashville together. Louie moved in with his girlfriend, Kendra, so it was all good.

But I missed my kids. I kept pictures of them everywhere. On my desk at the station, all around the house, in my wallet. Anna thought Bella was absolutely beautiful. And she thought Jack looked very nice. She's always wanted to meet them. And, she's always wanted kids. Thats why, two years ago, I got her pregnant. We had a son. His name is Caden, it means fighter. I always liked that name, but Renee always insisted on something simple. Hence, Jack. I got to name Bella though. Isabella Marie. Beautiful. She was my little Bells. I loved her so much. She was my little girl.

Thats why I wanted to kill myself when Louie came home the other day, from god knows where, and tells me he saw Bella. Told me everything he knew. Leaving out the part where she had a child. He told me that Renee had gotten re married, he was abusive, a drunk, that Bella was safe, she was happy with her famous boyfriend. All seemed well. Except when he told me that scum used to hit Bella too. I know Bella could stick up for herself, I should be more worried about Renee. But Bella is my baby. And so first thing in the morning, I got in my car and drove to Feilds. It was good to be home. I had heard that Jack was in the hospital. I knew he'd be a little less eager to forgive. Thats why I went to hm first. Plus, he was my son. I wanted to see what became of him.

When I saw Bella walk in that room....she was all grown up. She looked like a women. Her hair had grown out longer, she had gotten taller, more mature. She wasn't little anymore. I knew that she wouldn't be, but still...last I saw her, she had pigtails and was playing baseball in the backyard with Carson and Jack. Last time I saw Jack, he was awkward and dying to shave. Now he looked like he desperatly needed a shave. And he had muscles. He wasn't ripped or anything, but he looked toned. I couldn't exactly say the same for myself.

I told Anna I was going to see my kids last night. She was ecstatic. She wants to see them as soon as we made peace. That time was now. But, as immature as it may sound.....I was scared.

Of Renee.


	28. Renee and Charlie: Not The Best Of Buds

Renee Dwyer

I was sitting in the kitchen with Beth and Mari, when I heard the front door open and close. It was probably Bells and Edward. I wonder why there back so early. They'd only been at the hospital for two hours Usually Bella was there for a good six hours everyday.

Bella came into the kitchen, looking kind of nervous. Mari peaked around the corner and her eyes widened. Beth did the same. She gasped and put a hand over her mouth. What was over there? Was Jack home? I started to see around the corner, but Bella jumped in front of me. She looked a little panicky.

"Bella, whats going on?" I demanded.

"Mom, I'm so sorry in advance for what your about to see. But, remember, murder is _not_ an art." She told me, quickly. So what if Chicago was my favorie movie? She didn't have to throw that in my face all the time!

"Fine." I huffed. Bella sighed like she was stressed.

"C'mon in!" She called. There were hesitant footsteps. Then, turning into the kitchen..........was Charlie. Charlie. Charlie. Charlie. Bella. Charlie. Me. Bella brought Charlie. Bella brought me Charlie. Ugh. I can barely even form a coherant sentence in my head, how am I supposed to talk to him out loud?

"Um...hi, Ren." He stuttered.

I blinked, and stuttered some kind of greeting back. Charlie rocked on his heels, uneasily. Bella was looking between us, gauging my reaction. Charlie wouldn't even make eye contact with me. Was I really that bad? I mean, I thought I was relatively calm. Was I?

"So....awkward silence." Bella commented.

"We've always been good at those." Charlie mumbled.

"Yep." I muttered, looking down.

There was silence.

"Guys, this is crazy." Bella sighed. "Say something."

"Whats there to say?" I mumbled.

"How about, 'Why are you here' 'The weathers nice' 'I hate you' 'I love you'. Anything?" Bella rambled.

"I'm not feeling any of those." Charlie shrugged, smiling slightly.

"Typical." I snorted.

"What do you mean by that?" He demanded.

"You have to go and make jokes when were trying to discuss something serious." I snapped.

"Were not discussing anything! You're not even speaking." He argued.

"I beleive were speaking now, aren't we?" I demanded.

"Ah, hell." He muttered, shaking his head.

"Thats a horrible habit." I sniffed.

"Well, you seem to be attracted to bad habits, now don't you?" He grinned, humorlessly.

"What is that supposed to mean!?" I exclaimed.

"Wow, forgot your hubby already?" He asked, sourly.

"Don't you dare bring that up." I growled.

"Why not? You brought it to the whole towns attention." He pointed out.

"I did no such thing, Charles David." I hissed.

"I beleive you did, Renee Penelope." He mocked me.

"Just stop it, both of you!" Bella snapped. "God, you're worse then Lila."

"She started it." Charlie said, feebly.

"What, are we in kindergarten?" I hissed. "Is it time for your nap?"

"Mom." Bella said, warningly.

"Sorry." I huffed.

"Pouting, Renee?" Charlie snickered.

"Shut the hell up." I mumbled. Cursing was very rare for me. I didn't beleive in it.

"Ah, I think that calls for a time out." Charlie chuckled. I rolled my eyes. He was so immature and silly. The silly was what I fell in love with.

"Don't make me seperate you two." Bella glared.

"Go ahead. Renee will just crawl on back to me." Charlie said, smartly.

"Surprise, surprise. You never moved on." I laughed.

"Oh, don't worry, I did."

Was I just slapped in the face?

"Her name's Anna. She's gorgeous, smart, witty. Everything you're not." He said, calmly.

A tear fell softly.

"Dad." Bella gasped.

He hung his head and blushed. "Sorry. That was uncalled for. But to answer any questions, yes, I've moved on."

"Ah, hell." Bella mumbled. Right there was the Charlie in her.

"I didn't plan on telling you like this." He said, quickly. I'd had enough.

"I can't take this." I turned to Bella. "Sweetie, your Daddy and I will never get along. And I think we accept that right now before the fighting gets any worse."

"So, what, you're just giving up?" She demanded.

"She's awfully good at that." Charlie muttered.

"Dad!" Bella snapped. Charlie hrmphed.

"Bella, honey, I'm sorry. There's just too much history." I sighed. I made my exit, leaving Charlie to explain his new life to Bella. This was going to go well, I thought sarcastically.

**Bella Swan**

"Explain. Now." I hissed, dragging him into the living room. He sat down, slowly, taking everything in.

"Her name is Anna. We've been married for ten years. We have a two year old son, his name is Caden." He mumbled.

"Thats the whole story?" I demanded, rolling my eyes.

"The Readers Digest version." He shrugged, feebly.

"I want the in depth story." She glared.

He sighed and proceeded to explain the whole thing to me. He left out graphic scenes in this little tale. He did however mention that Anna used to be a stripper in her teenage years. A stripper? Oh my god! My step mother is a whore. He explained to me that her Mother was a drunk and her Father was a drug addict. They were both too busy supporting their habits to support her, so when she turned fifteen, she went and got herself a job as a waitress. Her waitressing job wasn't helping much and she heard from a customer that came in one night that stripping made you tons. So stripping turned into her late night job. She waitressed every day after school and stripped at night. Apparently it made her tons. When she turned eighteen she quit because she was accepted into college on a scholarship in California. She was there for four years and when she graduated, she moved back home to Tennessee to try and reconnect with her her Mother, who had recently stopped drinking. She met my Father two years later. She was working as a waitress in a Diner in Nashville, when Dad was meeting Louie for lunch. They connected instantly. They got married a year later and had a baby boy two years ago. Apparently he tried to invite Jack and I to the wedding, but he didn't know where we were. I can't blame him for that, he was kind of out of the loop. After he told me the whole story, he pulled a picture out of his back pocket.

A blonde woman was laying on a green couch, with her hair wispy around her shoulders. She was smiling sweetly in a white tank top. She was beautiful, I'll give him that. And she looked sweet. But looks can be deceiving. I know that better then anyone. Edward looked conceited and stuck up. Turns out he.....was. Okay, bad example. But in the end, he was a good guy. Still is. Umm....Oh, okay. LuLu looks like a blond airhead, but she's really a smart, witty, confident, warm hearted person. Aha. Knew I could do it. But I'm still not sure about this woman. I mean, if Dad has been married to her for ten years, I guess she has to be okay. Dad doesn't put up with anyone's shit. And if they have a healthy two year old, she has to be alright with kids, which is good for Lila. I can't just have anyone hanging around my kid.

In the end, I promised Dad I would meet her. I was excited about meeting my little brother though. Apparently he looks a lot like Dad. Dad said he had curly brown hair like Jack and Anna's green eyes. But he swears up and down that he has his features, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I wonder if the kid is a brat. I've met a lot of bratty kids, being a dance teacher and with Lila's school. I was hoping Caden was a nice little kid. I wonder if he's started talking yet? Lila said her first words at about nine months old, but she didn't start speaking in sentences until she was about two. But I hear boys are slower than girls.

Ha. Don't I know it.


	29. Charlie's World

**AN: There are quotes from Stick It in this chapter!! Just pretend that the coaches in Stick It were Bella's coaches!!**

**Charlie Swan**

"Anna, honey, you look fine." I told her as she ran back into the closet. She had tried on at least four different outifts. A white sundress, a black pantsit, a red flimsy dress (that I liked very much) and she had just taken off a a black skirt with a blue blouse. I personally thought she looked like a dude in her pantsuit and she looked like she was going in for a job interveiw in the last outift. Just as I was about to tell her I liked the sundress, she walked out of the closet wearing, what do you know, the sundress. I was in a pair of blue jeans with a new tee shirt Anna had gotten me. She told me I needed to look nicer, but I mean c'mon, its just Bella.

We were going to a small Italian restraunt on the outskirts of town. We were meeting Bella, Edward and Lila there. Anna went and got Caden all dressed and we loaded into me Police Cruiser. Anna detested riding in it, just like Bella. Anna bitches all the time about it. Caden likes it when I make the siren go off. Anna grinds her teeth whenever we get in. I think its hilarious.

We got there in no time. We headed into the restraunt and the hostess told us that the rest of our party was already seated. She lead us to a small table in the very back. Bella was seated in between Lila and Edward. She was coloring the kids menu with Lila and Edward was looking over the adult menu. As we walked over, Edward turned and said something to her. She turned and said something back, but she stopped when she saw us. She smiled, fake and forced. I knew it was fake, I had the same smile.

"Well, well, well, the gangs all here." I grinned down at my little girl.

"Can we be the gang green gang from The Powerpuff Girls?" She asked.

"As long as I don't have to be that little mexican sounding one. He's so annoying." I said, smiling. **(no offense to any spanish person out there!! seriously, one of my best friends is spanish!!)**

"Can I be the leader? He's my favorite." Bella announced.

"As long as I get to be the big huge fat one. Alice always hated him, so naturally I love him." Edward decided.

"Can I be the snaky one?" Lila asked, softly, looking up from her coloring.

"Absolutely, squirt." I chuckled, smoothing out her auburn hair.

"Midget!" Caden cried out, giggling.

"I think Caden wants to be the little one." Anna laughed, lightly.

Bella scowled. "I guess that leaves you to be the deranged one. You'll play the part perfectly."

"Bella." I said, warningly. She huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, Mommy's just PMSing." Lila chirped.

"Sweetie, where did you learn that?" Edward chuckled.

"Auntie Rose." She answered, going back to her coloring.

"Well, I don't think I've introduced everyone yet. Bella, Edward, Lila, this is my wife, Anna and your little brother, Caden. Anna, Caden, this is my daughter Bella, her boyfriend Edward and their daughter, Lila." I announced, gesturing around the table. I was next to Lila, Caden was next to me and Anna was next to him and Edward.

Bella opened her mouth to say something bitchy I'm sure, when there was a small giggle behind us. There were about nine girls standing behind us, holding napkins and pens and purses. Edward sighed, softly nd looked around apoligeticly.

"You're Edward Cullen!" A young brunette exclaimed.

"That I am, Ladies." He grinned, standing up.

"Can we have your autograph?" A busty blonde asked.

"Of course," He answered, taking her napkin. "Can I have your name?"

"Lauren Mallory. But you can call me Baby." She purred. Ew.

"Yes, of course, alright." He mumbled, scribbling something on her napkin. When he was finished, the young brunette bounded over, anxiously.

"I'm Jessica Stanley, you're biggest fan! I went to your concert in Baja, you know, the one where you stage dived in the middle of your first single, Crazy Bitch. I was on the lawn, but I got like five feet from you when you were walking out! Then your drummer pushed me and I fell in the mud in my new dress, so it was totally ruined, but it was all good cause I saw you. Oh my god, I love you!" She babbled. Edward hasily wrote something on her napkin and waved the next girl over.

"Hi, I'm Angela Webber. Sorry about them, they kind of dragged me with them over here. Not that your not a good singer, I'm just more into Country. You know, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney. I did like that one song though. Iris, right? It was amzing." She said, turning a faint shade of pink. Edward smiled this time and thanked her, genuinely. He signed a small notbook she had in her purse and she thanked him politely and went to calm "Baby" and "Crazy Bitch" down.

Edward sat back down and sighed. "I'm very sorry about that. You can't get away from it."

"Oh, it's alright. I'm sure its easier in a small town like this, huh?" Anna smiled, warmly.

"Much easier. Unfortunately, my new manager scheduled a concert in Memphis in just a few days. I'm afraid its going to be packed." He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Who's your new manager?" Bella asked, surprised.

"Do you remember Ben Cheney from High School?" He asked, closing his menu.

"The Science Club kid?" She asked. He nodded. "Then yeah, I remember him. He's a music manager now?"

"I suppose so." He shrugged.

"So, Bella, how are you? I want to hear all about you." Anna gushed.

**Edward Cullen**

"A little sick, to be honest. There's this high pitched noise that keeps ringing in my ear, asking me pointless questions." She answered, innocently.

"Bella!" Charlie said, sharply.

"Yes, Father?" Bella asked, batting her eyelashes. I stiffled a small laugh. Lila giggled.

"That's enough, young lady." He said, trying to sound stern.

"Why, Father, whatever do you mean?" She placed her hands neatly in front pf her.

"Cut the crap, Bella Marie." He ordered.

"That language isn't necassary, Father Dearest." She said, smiling.

"I'm serious." He said, scowling. She raised her hands above her head and widened her eyes.

"Don't shoot." She gasped. Charlie rolled his eyes.

"You have Charlie's sense of humor." Anna giggled.

"So I've been told." Bella shrugged.

"So, Bells, what do you do?" Anna asked, curiously.

"Him." She said bluntly, pointing my way with her thumb.

"Are we ready to order?" A waiter asked, coming over in the nick of time.

"Yes, I'll have the angel hair pasta with some light pesto sauce." Anna smiled, handing the waiter the menu.

"Spagetti and Meatballs." Charlie answered, copying Anna's action.

"Fettucini Alfredo, please." Bella said, politeloy.

"Macaroni and Cheese." Lila chirped, smiling.

"Can he have the same?" Anna asked, gesturing toward Caden in his booster seat.

"And I'll just have lasagna, thank you." I finished, handing in my menu.

"Alright, anything to start you off?" Our waiter asked.

"Mozzerella sticks, please." Bella and Charlie answered at the same time. They both cracked a smile at that.

"Edward, when's your concert? We'd love to go." Anna told me, happily.

"In four days, actually. I'd be happy to get you all tickets if you want." I answered, smiling. I was eager to make friends with Charlie and Anna. They seemed like nice people and I was dying to get on Charlie's good side.

"Oh, that would be wonderful. Thank you, really." Anna gushed, excited. "Did you hear, Charlie? Were going to a concert!"

"I heard, so what?" He snorted.

"Charles David, you stop that right now." Bella laughed, mocking him.

"Hey, I didn't use your whole first name." He complained.

'Too bad, Charles David." She snickered.

"Bella, where are you working nowadays?" Charlie asked. "We haven't had a chance to really catch up."

"I'm a dance teacher. I teach ballet, hip hop and gymnastics." She shrugged.

"Oh, are you still training with Chris De Frank?" Charlie asked, curiously.

"De Frank?" Bella snorted. "Nah. I ditched him. I started training with Burt Vickerman a few years ago. He's more of a good friend now than a coach."

"Oh, yeah. Didn't he kick me out of the gym that one time our Senior Year because I was distracting you?" I laughed, remembering.

"Yeah, and you asked him what was up his butt?" She laughed.

"He wanted my ass mounted on a wall." I chuckled

"He wants everyone's ass on a wall." She said, waving it off.

"Mommy whats an ass?" Lila asked, curiously.

"Your Daddy." She answered, smiling.

"Daddy, you're an ass?" Lila asked, confused.

"No, Sweetie, I'm not. You're Mommy is just kidding." I answered, glaring at Bella.

"Says who?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Says me." I growled.

"Oooo, scary." She laughed, pretending to shiver.

Our waiter arrived a few minutes later with our orders. We all started eating, but Bella was still laughing and harassing me. I was poking at her right back, but Charlie wasn't having that.

"You two are embarassing us, what are you five?" He demanded. Bella was still making faces at me. "Hey, Rebel Without Applause, shut up and eat."

I laughed, choking on me food a little in the process. Bella rolled her eyes and muttered something to herself and shoved a fork full of pasta into her mouth.


	30. Facing Reality

**Bella Swan**

We got home around eight, and Lila was drowsy. She was usually up a little later than this, but it was a long night. I'm a little tired myself. All the kids were waiting on the porch for us. LuLu leaped off the ground when she saw us pull up and ran next to the car as it rolled into the driveway.

"How was it?" She demanded, eagerly.

"Can you wait til I put Lila to bed?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hurry." She said, frantically. Lila said her goodnights to everyone, including the adults who were sitting around the kitchen table playing poker. Oh, shit. There goes all of Uncle Joe's money. Esme was an excellent poker player.

I helped Lila with her nightly routine and tucked her in, quickly. I knew everyone was waiting for the in depth story and they were going to bombard Edward soo, if I didn't get down there. I kissed Lila on the cheek and said goodnight.

"Mommy?" She asked, quietly.

"Yeah, baby?" I responded, sitting on the edge of her bed. Lila wasn't usually this serious.

"Are you and Daddy getting married?" She asked, hopefully.

I sighed. I really wasn't sure how to answer this. I wanted to marry Edward. God, yes, I wanted to marry Edward. But I wasn't sure if he was ready. I mean, he's got his career to think about. He goes everywhere and anywhere with his job, while I just stay here. I want to stay in Tennessee with my family. He needs to go other places, do other things. I don't know if he's really prepared to put down roots yet. I was. I'd put down roots anywhere for this man, but I have to think about Lila. This is her home. It hurts to be ripped from your family at a young age. When we moved, I was heart broken and so was everyone else. Life isn't fair. Life is tuff, but Lila's young. I want to raise her here, with my family, in Tennessee. In Tennessee with Edward.

"Maybe someday, baby." I sighed, kissing her forehead again, before making my exit.

I went downstairs, quickly. I kissed Mom on the cheek and promised to talk to her later. Everyone was still on the porch, waiting for me. Harlie scoffed when she saw me.

"Finally." She muttered.

"Sorry for taking care of my kid." I said, shoving her head, lightly as I walked passed her. I sat next to Edward on the porch swing.

"Spill." Delilah ordered.

"Whats there to say?" I sighed. "She's nice. She's pretty. She's funny. Oh, and she used to be a stripper."

"Say what?" Rosalie said, choking on air.

"You're telling us that your Dad ran off with some ex- stripper after he walked out on your Mom?" Alice gasped.

"No, Alice, I made it up cause it sounds so classy." I said, sarcastically.

"No need to get all snarky, Bellerina." Carson said gently, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"Oh, just wait til I tell Jack." I muttered, rubbing a hand across my face.

"Jack's gonna have a freak down." LuLu sighed.

"A freak down?" Jasper asked, confused.

"Its like freak out, but freak out is something you do. Freak down is something you have." LuLu explained, happily.

"Ah, I see." Emmett nodded, wisely.

"Do you?" LuLu asked, suspiciously.

"No, not at all." He answered, seriously.

"Good." She smiled, peacefully.

"No one is supposed to understand LuLu." Rosie said, shaking her head sadly.

"Except maybe squirrels." Bliss said in all seriousness.

"True, true." Harlie agreed, nodding brightly.

"Can we get back on subject?" I asked, annoyed. I loved my family and our strange sense of humor, but this was a serious situation.

"Relax, Bella." Delilah said, widening her eyes.

"You on your TOM or something, bitch?" Harlie demanded.

Carson opened his mouth to object to her language but it was no use. She'd been around us too long.

"Shut up." I hissed.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about, Bells." Bliss said, softly.

"Charlie's been married to her for ten years. She's gotta be cool." Rosie agreed, shrugging.

"I don't care." I mumbled, pouting.

"Now I know where Lila got the pout!" Emmett exclaimed.

"It's an art form." I answered, nodding,

"We've all mastered it." Delilah agreed.

"I wanna do it." Emmett whined.

"Tuff shit." Harlie answered, shrugging.

"I can't deal with you people." Jasper said, dryly.

"You're stressing my Jazzy out." Alice said, rubbing one of his shoulders.

"Trust me, you don't even notice it after a while." Carson said, reassuringly. "It just gets to be like a constant buzzing in your head."

"Looking foward to it." Jasper muttered.

**Edward Cullen**

As we all headed off to bed, Emmett and Jasper stopped me on my way to the bathroom.

"Dude, we gotta talk." Jasper said, pulling me into the bathroom and locking the door.

"What is it?" I asked, confused.

"We have a little problem that I don't think you've factored in, man." Emmett said, uncertainly.

"Shoot." I said, nodding.

"We have to leave." Jasper announced.

"Why?" I asked, as something strange settled on me.

"You have concerts booked all around, Edward. After this next one in Memphis, you're done with your vacation." Jasper sighed.

"We've kept off the paparrazi as long as we could. You have to come back out." Emmett agreed.

"_We_ have to come back out." Jasper added as an after thought.

"You've got Spike in a kennel. Are you planning on taking him back anytime soon?" Emmett asked.

"I hadn't thought about it." I answered, truthfully.

"Well, you better start. Because, I know for a fact, Bella's going wherever you go." Jasper said, seriously.

"She thinks she's staying here, but man, you guys can't do long distance. Not with Lila." Emmett agreed.

"I'll talk to Bella about it, I suppose." I said, a little dazed. I honestly hadn't thought much about it at all.

After Emmett and Jasper let me go off to our room, I got dressed and found Bella laying on the bed waiting for me.

"What took you so long?" She asked, snuggling into my arm.

"I just spoke with Emmett and Jasper." I answered.

"Oh, what did they want?" She asked, curiously.

"They told me we had to talk." I said. "About my career."

"Ah." She sighed, sitting up. "I had a feeling this was coming."

"They just pointed out that we can't exactly stay here forever." I said, quietly.

"I figured." She answered, just as softly.

"What are you thinking?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"I'm thinking compromise." She sighed.

"As in...?" I trailed off, uncertainly.

"As in, I'll come with you." She murmured.

I was shocked to say the least. Knowing Bella, I was expecting a huge blow out with shouting and tears. She was coming with me?

"My only concern is that you won't have any time. For Lila and I." She said, casting her eyes down. It was always so strange to see Bella nervous or unsusre. It made her look so small. So fragile. Bella was anything but weak. She was so strong all the time. She always had her brave face on. It was about time she let her guard down.

"I'll always make time for you and Lila. I love you." I said, taking her face in my hands.

"Thats the first time you've said that since we were kids." She said, blushing slightly.

"We're still kids. Just bigger kids." I chuckled.

"I love you too." She said, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Then prove it." I said, letting my emotions take over.

And we then picked up where we left off in High School....


End file.
